How desperate do you have to be to just start walking to another country? Walking over a thousand miles with almost nothing but what you are wearing. People from the northern triangle of Central America are that desperate. They are fleeing extreme poverty, horrible violence and a corrupt government. All this for a small chance that they can upgrade to modest poverty, occasional violence and a somewhat less corrupt government.
How heartless do you have to be to deny these people the opportunity to make this slight improvement in their lives? That is exactly how heartless people who support the immigration policies of Trump are. Whether it's your elderly neighbor, cranky uncle or sweet grandma, they are supporting policies that squash the tiny glimmer of hope that some of the most downtrodden people in the world have.
They do not see themselves as heartless, and get very defensive when it's pointed out. They may pull out the "we should care for our own first" argument, not that they are any more supportive of domestic social safety net programs either. The basic fact is they have bought into the fear propaganda peddled by Trump and his lackeys. This should not excuse their actions, every person has a responsibility act using reason to temper emotion.
These folks are for the most part irrelevant to discussions of policy since they do not base anything in the reality of a situation. Any debate with a person solely motivated by fear should focus on how that fear leads to a total lack of compassion. These people need to see how their stance effects those who truly do have reason to fear for their lives. Those who fear having to share some plentiful resources need to compare themselves to those who fear rape, torture and murder on a daily basis.
The United States has much blame to accept in the plight of the refugees headed our way. Acting on behalf of large corporations the US government supported brutal dictators in the region. The propaganda of the day pushed a fear of Socialism, when the thing they truly feared was loss of corporate profits. Now gangs and drug cartels terrorize the countries and there is no relief available from corrupt officials. Many older Americans have the fear of Socialism and love of Capitalism so ingrained that they feel that devastating the region did the world a favor.
The United States is a big, wealthy country, and there would be no problem absorbing a few well deserving asylum seekers. Anyone who comes out against helping people who have been traumatized by unimaginably horrific conditions needs a jolt to their empathy centers. Their own unfounded fears stoked by Trump and others like him are no excuse for supporting the hate at the border.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Cowardly Republican Lies
Republicans have chosen the act of lying without compunction about the serious topic of requiring insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. With millions of voters completely baffled about what is the truth, lies like this can be accepted as fact. Voters who have been loyal Republicans do not see what their party has become, a win at any cost tool of corporate America.
This is especially true of some of the people most likely hurt by insurers refusing to cover pre-existing conditions. People just a few years from retirement with low paying blue collar jobs often have health issues start to creep into their lives. Hypertension or Diabetes are common conditions and are manageable with access to proper health care. They need to slow down and take care of themselves, but work in places that do not tolerate lower production despite the health of the worker. Ideally they would move to a position requiring less physical exertion, but that type of position is often not available.
The option to find a different job might seem like an ideal solution, until they find out their new insurance company is refusing to cover their pre-existing condition. What was once a manageable situation has now become life threatening.
Yet so many Americans within this age and occupation demographic continue to support the Republican party. The same Republican party that sides every single time with the insurance company over the insured. When asked about their stance on the issue they quote the lies spread by these politicians with unquestioning certainty of their validity.
Donald Trump in particular has mastered the art of lying, incessantly accusing his critics of the very act he so often engages in. It is one of the few things he is good at, beings that he is abysmally poor at governing. Many other Republicans fake empathy to sell their lies, projecting fake concern at the well being of Americans while voting just the opposite.
The complete removal of the for profit health care system and replacement with Medicare For All would be the ideal way to fix things, but current leadership in Washington makes this unlikely in the short term. People stand to be hurt right now by Republicans lies, and the current system needs to be fortified not torn down. Until a permanent fix is implemented, the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be continued. The Republican party's lies just represent their cowardice in admitting their unpopular goals of profiting from people's misfortune.
This is especially true of some of the people most likely hurt by insurers refusing to cover pre-existing conditions. People just a few years from retirement with low paying blue collar jobs often have health issues start to creep into their lives. Hypertension or Diabetes are common conditions and are manageable with access to proper health care. They need to slow down and take care of themselves, but work in places that do not tolerate lower production despite the health of the worker. Ideally they would move to a position requiring less physical exertion, but that type of position is often not available.
The option to find a different job might seem like an ideal solution, until they find out their new insurance company is refusing to cover their pre-existing condition. What was once a manageable situation has now become life threatening.
Yet so many Americans within this age and occupation demographic continue to support the Republican party. The same Republican party that sides every single time with the insurance company over the insured. When asked about their stance on the issue they quote the lies spread by these politicians with unquestioning certainty of their validity.
Donald Trump in particular has mastered the art of lying, incessantly accusing his critics of the very act he so often engages in. It is one of the few things he is good at, beings that he is abysmally poor at governing. Many other Republicans fake empathy to sell their lies, projecting fake concern at the well being of Americans while voting just the opposite.
The complete removal of the for profit health care system and replacement with Medicare For All would be the ideal way to fix things, but current leadership in Washington makes this unlikely in the short term. People stand to be hurt right now by Republicans lies, and the current system needs to be fortified not torn down. Until a permanent fix is implemented, the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be continued. The Republican party's lies just represent their cowardice in admitting their unpopular goals of profiting from people's misfortune.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
The Woes of Right Wing Christians
There is something brewing in American Politics. Progressive candidates for office may actually have a chance to be elected. Of course that means certain death and destruction for Evangelical Christians, with pastors and other religious leaders sure to be executed in front of churches. This news has been greeted ecstatically by right wing Evangelical Christians, who believe they finally have a valid reason to feel persecuted.
The last couple of years have been horrible for Christians, what with being around 70% of the population of the United States. Many people simple do not believe them when they wail about how difficult following their faith has become. It reached a new low recently when the Supreme Court became stacked in their favor, taking away the complaint about activist courts and Liberal Judges.
They long for the good old days of President Obama, when they were stripped of their rights. Rights like discriminating against LGBT persons and denying reproductive choice have been returning to them under Trump, and it's becoming harder to remain resentful and angry. What is even more disheartening is the fact that all of the good persecution is going to the very people they are persecuting. Fortunately for them they have no concept of irony or they might explode.
Now with the possibility of a Democratic majority in the House, they can bring their gloom and doom hyperbole to never before seen levels. No longer would they have to suffer feeling content at other's suffering, but they can justify their very own suffering. Even better, with progressives in charge, they can claim anybody who is not them is receiving an unfair advantage by not being treated unfairly.
A blue wave in the Midterm Elections would provide a major boon to the doomsayers of Christianity in the United States. Plus actual good things would happen for the country too. That is a win-win situation for everyone.
The last couple of years have been horrible for Christians, what with being around 70% of the population of the United States. Many people simple do not believe them when they wail about how difficult following their faith has become. It reached a new low recently when the Supreme Court became stacked in their favor, taking away the complaint about activist courts and Liberal Judges.
They long for the good old days of President Obama, when they were stripped of their rights. Rights like discriminating against LGBT persons and denying reproductive choice have been returning to them under Trump, and it's becoming harder to remain resentful and angry. What is even more disheartening is the fact that all of the good persecution is going to the very people they are persecuting. Fortunately for them they have no concept of irony or they might explode.
Now with the possibility of a Democratic majority in the House, they can bring their gloom and doom hyperbole to never before seen levels. No longer would they have to suffer feeling content at other's suffering, but they can justify their very own suffering. Even better, with progressives in charge, they can claim anybody who is not them is receiving an unfair advantage by not being treated unfairly.
A blue wave in the Midterm Elections would provide a major boon to the doomsayers of Christianity in the United States. Plus actual good things would happen for the country too. That is a win-win situation for everyone.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Fake Bomb Claims an Attempt to Deflect Blame
One thing I can say with a high degree of certainty is that the bombs being mailed to various Democratic politicians and activists are not the work of an organized plot by any political party. No matter what the motivations behind this, an individual or possibly a small cell working independently are responsible. That has not stopped the fake bomb conspiracy theories from flying all over the Internet. The right wing fringe voices immediately started the gaslighting show, repeating a lie so often that people find themselves thinking there might be some validity to it.
Of course the bomber was inspired by political rhetoric. The bombs were sent to leaders of a political party. There are people out there who feel hopeless in the face of a challenge to their view of how the country ought to be. They see an opportunity to make a real statement in a cowardly act of terrorism. They represent the least sophisticated player in the ongoing struggle for the hearts and minds of the American people.
A side by side comparison of the strongest rhetoric coming from each parties leaders does demonstrate an obvious difference in the level of fear they preach. Republicans, and in particular Trump, have fear, anger and resentment as their major selling points. They work very hard to make the average white guy feel that his privileged status in this country is slipping away, as if it was something he had earned rather than just luck of the birth lottery. Democrats on the other hand more often speak of equality, attempting to boost up those who are truly disadvantaged.
Statistically speaking the number of politically motivated murders in this country in the last decade committed by right wing extremists is at 71%. Left wing radicals over the same period account for 2%. Republicans like to point at Antifa as an example of the left's shared responsibility in political violence, but Antifa is a very small group with no connection to any major Democratic organization despite the ravings of the "Soros is the devil", tin foil hat crowd.
Just as the constant barrage of emails and Bengasi accusations created enough doubt to give the election to Trump, despite multiple investigations finding no crime, right wing pundits and Russian trolls alike have found a rallying cry of "fake bombs" hoping to cast a sliver of doubt. Sure Democrats have been using the pipe bomb attacks to sway the electorate, but there were actual attacks against their most influential members rather than an outlandish conspiracy theory.
When viewing the big picture concerning these attacks what should be noted is the egregiousness of each parties blame in the problem of domestic terrorism in general. While there is some reason to place blame with some Democrats, the majority of the problem comes from Republicans and their embrace of the tactics of Trump. Also the right's enthusiasm for pushing outlandish claims as plausible theories is merely an attempt to deflect the responsibility that they have so richly earned.
Of course the bomber was inspired by political rhetoric. The bombs were sent to leaders of a political party. There are people out there who feel hopeless in the face of a challenge to their view of how the country ought to be. They see an opportunity to make a real statement in a cowardly act of terrorism. They represent the least sophisticated player in the ongoing struggle for the hearts and minds of the American people.
A side by side comparison of the strongest rhetoric coming from each parties leaders does demonstrate an obvious difference in the level of fear they preach. Republicans, and in particular Trump, have fear, anger and resentment as their major selling points. They work very hard to make the average white guy feel that his privileged status in this country is slipping away, as if it was something he had earned rather than just luck of the birth lottery. Democrats on the other hand more often speak of equality, attempting to boost up those who are truly disadvantaged.
Statistically speaking the number of politically motivated murders in this country in the last decade committed by right wing extremists is at 71%. Left wing radicals over the same period account for 2%. Republicans like to point at Antifa as an example of the left's shared responsibility in political violence, but Antifa is a very small group with no connection to any major Democratic organization despite the ravings of the "Soros is the devil", tin foil hat crowd.
Just as the constant barrage of emails and Bengasi accusations created enough doubt to give the election to Trump, despite multiple investigations finding no crime, right wing pundits and Russian trolls alike have found a rallying cry of "fake bombs" hoping to cast a sliver of doubt. Sure Democrats have been using the pipe bomb attacks to sway the electorate, but there were actual attacks against their most influential members rather than an outlandish conspiracy theory.
When viewing the big picture concerning these attacks what should be noted is the egregiousness of each parties blame in the problem of domestic terrorism in general. While there is some reason to place blame with some Democrats, the majority of the problem comes from Republicans and their embrace of the tactics of Trump. Also the right's enthusiasm for pushing outlandish claims as plausible theories is merely an attempt to deflect the responsibility that they have so richly earned.
Thursday, October 25, 2018
On Nationalism and Pipe bombs
What makes a person reach the point where they think attempting to bomb public figures from the opposition party would aid their cause? Any reasoning person would come to the conclusion that violence like that would actually increase support for the other side. The far right wing sees the world through a much narrower lens than most of America, and like their counterparts in radical Islamic terrorism sees glory in acts of destruction aimed at the infidel.
There are certain people in any population that are easily radicalized. Rather than evaluate information to determine its validity, they judge truth by the source of the information. They feel such a degree of certainty in their beliefs that they feel duty bound to fight against any opposing viewpoint. Dictators have used this to their advantage, stamping out opposition by stoking the nationalism of their extremist followers.
This has proven problematic for would be tyrants in more advanced nations. A more educated populous is not as easily driven to hate anyone with different views. The United States is an example of a nation struggling to move beyond the old nationalist ways, but with a would be dictator and his sycophants clinging to power by any means necessary. They use radicalization to further their goals while claiming to denounce it.
There is no equivalent radical nationalism from progressives. Rather than use blind faith as a motivation to violent actions the left uses reasoning, logic and compassion to convince. The far right cannot comprehend this and goes on to invent a liberal plot orchestrated by a few prominent Democrats. They have to believe there is a leadership that if destroyed would topple the whole movement, because of their simplistic black and white world view.
No rational person could think that killing Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton and George Soros would cripple the movement toward social progress. The person or persons who attempted these bombings obviously is not indicative of conservatives in the United States as a whole, although a not negligible number of far right voices cheered the action. The most alarming fact about this is the encouragement for acts like this coming from Trump, and his deflection of blame on any but himself.
There are certain people in any population that are easily radicalized. Rather than evaluate information to determine its validity, they judge truth by the source of the information. They feel such a degree of certainty in their beliefs that they feel duty bound to fight against any opposing viewpoint. Dictators have used this to their advantage, stamping out opposition by stoking the nationalism of their extremist followers.
This has proven problematic for would be tyrants in more advanced nations. A more educated populous is not as easily driven to hate anyone with different views. The United States is an example of a nation struggling to move beyond the old nationalist ways, but with a would be dictator and his sycophants clinging to power by any means necessary. They use radicalization to further their goals while claiming to denounce it.
There is no equivalent radical nationalism from progressives. Rather than use blind faith as a motivation to violent actions the left uses reasoning, logic and compassion to convince. The far right cannot comprehend this and goes on to invent a liberal plot orchestrated by a few prominent Democrats. They have to believe there is a leadership that if destroyed would topple the whole movement, because of their simplistic black and white world view.
No rational person could think that killing Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton and George Soros would cripple the movement toward social progress. The person or persons who attempted these bombings obviously is not indicative of conservatives in the United States as a whole, although a not negligible number of far right voices cheered the action. The most alarming fact about this is the encouragement for acts like this coming from Trump, and his deflection of blame on any but himself.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Republicans Do Not Represent the Views of Most Americans
With the Midterm election just days away, Republicans are going into overdrive on voter suppression, fear mongering, and outright lies. They know they cannot win on the issues so they rely on dirty tricks to give them a chance. The fact that they are even close to maintaining their majority speaks to the sorry state of our democracy.
Over half of Americans support the idea of a single payer health care system, yet we could actually move the other way. Republicans are directly lying about their plans for health care. They place the profits of the insurance industry over the well being of the citizenry with claims of protections for pre-existing conditions that they are actively trying to eliminate.
When asked, a majority of Americans say they are against Trumps immigration policies. They favor legal status for Dreamers and giving asylum to victims of domestic abuse and gang violence. They reject separating families as a deterrent and building a border wall. Republicans rely on stoking the unfounded fear of dangerous criminals pouring into the country.
More Americans than not believe Climate Change is happening and is directly caused by human activity. A majority believe that protecting the environment should be prioritized over energy production. Big energy companies throw a lot of money at Republicans to quote disproven scientific claims and confuse people about the universally scientifically accepted facts.
LGBT rights also enjoy the support of the majority, along with reproductive rights, higher minimum wage, legalized marijuana and campaign finance reform. The GOP's strategy to combat this is to attempt to keep the people who support these issues away from the voting booth. They work to disenfranchise younger voters and people of color by closing polling stations and voter ID laws. They gerrymander districts to their advantage in order to maintain a majority of representation with a minority of votes.
Our current system of representation allows and even encourages cheating in order to maintain power. The anything goes philosophy of the Republican party needs to be removed from American politics and replaced with a truly representative electorate. Of the people, by the people and for the people should include everybody and our representatives should reflect that.
Over half of Americans support the idea of a single payer health care system, yet we could actually move the other way. Republicans are directly lying about their plans for health care. They place the profits of the insurance industry over the well being of the citizenry with claims of protections for pre-existing conditions that they are actively trying to eliminate.
When asked, a majority of Americans say they are against Trumps immigration policies. They favor legal status for Dreamers and giving asylum to victims of domestic abuse and gang violence. They reject separating families as a deterrent and building a border wall. Republicans rely on stoking the unfounded fear of dangerous criminals pouring into the country.
More Americans than not believe Climate Change is happening and is directly caused by human activity. A majority believe that protecting the environment should be prioritized over energy production. Big energy companies throw a lot of money at Republicans to quote disproven scientific claims and confuse people about the universally scientifically accepted facts.
LGBT rights also enjoy the support of the majority, along with reproductive rights, higher minimum wage, legalized marijuana and campaign finance reform. The GOP's strategy to combat this is to attempt to keep the people who support these issues away from the voting booth. They work to disenfranchise younger voters and people of color by closing polling stations and voter ID laws. They gerrymander districts to their advantage in order to maintain a majority of representation with a minority of votes.
Our current system of representation allows and even encourages cheating in order to maintain power. The anything goes philosophy of the Republican party needs to be removed from American politics and replaced with a truly representative electorate. Of the people, by the people and for the people should include everybody and our representatives should reflect that.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
What Trump Hopes to Accomplish With the Term Nationalist
Trump must somehow believe that the country has reached a tipping point, and that his overt embrace of anti-semitism and white supremacy will actually help Republicans in the midterms. Horrible people everywhere are cheering, but what about the people on the fence. With the country already polarized, rhetoric like this just forces them to choose sides.
It has been suggested that Trump has reached the point where he feels comfortable enough with his cult like power over a sizable amount of heavily armed disciples that he will attempt to abolish the last vestiges of democracy. He has the Supreme Court tilted in his favor, and historical parallels to the rise of tyrants are obvious.
There will be some empty condemnations from so called moderate Republicans in congress, although there will be no actual attempt to reign in his gallop toward authoritarianism. Whether they are bought, intimidated or are true believers in his plutocratic ideal, they all vote in lock step when directed.
It is not too far from the possibility that if Republicans hold onto congress this midterm, that our next presidential election will feature NRA backed armed militias "guarding" polling places to "protect" our democracy from liberal "mobs". That the number of voting location will be drastically reduced and mostly placed in locations difficult to reach without a car. That the process of determining voter eligibility will lose all transparency, and be placed in the hands of officials convinced there is rampant voter fraud.
Trumps embrace of the term nationalist is a signal to everyone that he intends to promote his agenda by any means necessary. He has no concern for the best interest of the people of the United States. Rather he is recruiting foot soldiers in his mission to secure his divine right to rule.
It has been suggested that Trump has reached the point where he feels comfortable enough with his cult like power over a sizable amount of heavily armed disciples that he will attempt to abolish the last vestiges of democracy. He has the Supreme Court tilted in his favor, and historical parallels to the rise of tyrants are obvious.
There will be some empty condemnations from so called moderate Republicans in congress, although there will be no actual attempt to reign in his gallop toward authoritarianism. Whether they are bought, intimidated or are true believers in his plutocratic ideal, they all vote in lock step when directed.
It is not too far from the possibility that if Republicans hold onto congress this midterm, that our next presidential election will feature NRA backed armed militias "guarding" polling places to "protect" our democracy from liberal "mobs". That the number of voting location will be drastically reduced and mostly placed in locations difficult to reach without a car. That the process of determining voter eligibility will lose all transparency, and be placed in the hands of officials convinced there is rampant voter fraud.
Trumps embrace of the term nationalist is a signal to everyone that he intends to promote his agenda by any means necessary. He has no concern for the best interest of the people of the United States. Rather he is recruiting foot soldiers in his mission to secure his divine right to rule.
Monday, October 22, 2018
Immigration Facts do not Matter to Trump Supporters
When it comes to immigration, like many other issues, to a Trump supporter facts do not matter. You can point out the lower crime rates for immigrants compared to native born, or the economic contributions and taxes paid that they receive no benefits in return for, but they will not alter their stance. Their minds are frozen with fear of the caravans filled with murderers and rapists racing towards our vulnerable and righteous country.
People who live in a world where opinions cannot be altered by evidence are some of the most politically engaged. They follow their candidate or issue with the same zeal they show for their chosen sports team, experiencing the same kind of highs and lows at the success or failure at the ballot box. They do not process the facts on immigration to increase their understanding of the issue. They just listen for key phrases that they have scripted rebuttals to.
They also demonstrate a lack of empathy towards the kind of suffering many seeking asylum have experienced. This is mostly because of having a privileged life of never being brutalized by those in power around you. They avoid seeing things from the perspective of the immigrant and only look at the ways they might be inconvenienced.
There is also a tendency for people who fight against immigration to compartmentalize various peoples to certain areas. They do not begrudge the existence of people different than themselves, they just do not want them living in the same area. They experience physical discomfort at the proximity of someone who looks and speaks differently than they do. This reaction is ingrained at a young age usually from parents or other mentors, and is perpetuated by isolating their close interactions to others just like themselves.
The issue of immigration, both legal and illegal, is something the United States needs to find answers for, but there is a sizable chunk of our population that will not abide any compromise. As time goes by and fewer people are living in environments insulated from people from other lands, there should be less objections to a more open immigration policy. Until then we need to be as vocal as the reason challenged opposition.
People who live in a world where opinions cannot be altered by evidence are some of the most politically engaged. They follow their candidate or issue with the same zeal they show for their chosen sports team, experiencing the same kind of highs and lows at the success or failure at the ballot box. They do not process the facts on immigration to increase their understanding of the issue. They just listen for key phrases that they have scripted rebuttals to.
They also demonstrate a lack of empathy towards the kind of suffering many seeking asylum have experienced. This is mostly because of having a privileged life of never being brutalized by those in power around you. They avoid seeing things from the perspective of the immigrant and only look at the ways they might be inconvenienced.
There is also a tendency for people who fight against immigration to compartmentalize various peoples to certain areas. They do not begrudge the existence of people different than themselves, they just do not want them living in the same area. They experience physical discomfort at the proximity of someone who looks and speaks differently than they do. This reaction is ingrained at a young age usually from parents or other mentors, and is perpetuated by isolating their close interactions to others just like themselves.
The issue of immigration, both legal and illegal, is something the United States needs to find answers for, but there is a sizable chunk of our population that will not abide any compromise. As time goes by and fewer people are living in environments insulated from people from other lands, there should be less objections to a more open immigration policy. Until then we need to be as vocal as the reason challenged opposition.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
The Need to Vote Progressive
The rampant capitalism of the United States encourages the gathering of excessive wealth to the detriment of the public good. Those who have managed to hoard large amounts of money are given vastly inflated influence on government policy. The primarily use this influence to reduce the amount they are required to contribute to the running of this country.
This system leads to extremes in income inequity, and requires that for each extremely wealthy person there are many who are struggling with insufficient means. The United States has always valued individuality and this has contributed to the idea that the collective wealth of the country is the province of individuals. The Republican party is wholly sold on this, scrapping democracy for a full blown plutocracy.
More and more young people are rejecting this and embracing the ideals of socialism. They see the wealth of the nation as a resource to be used to benefit all. The role of government should be centered on helping those who have the least, and regulating those who would act against the public good.
The United States is already a very low tax country, yet the call for lowering taxes even more is heard every election cycle. The benefits of lower taxes does not offset the loss of services to lower income people, and serves to increase the disparity of wealth in this country. Private for-profit entities jump in to fill the void of disappearing services at a higher cost to both the individual and the country as a whole.
There is still enough vestiges of democracy left in the United States to reverse the slide into a free for all where few win and many lose, but upcoming elections are crucial. The direction most people in this nation want to go is forward, and we need to elect progressive representatives to take us there.
This system leads to extremes in income inequity, and requires that for each extremely wealthy person there are many who are struggling with insufficient means. The United States has always valued individuality and this has contributed to the idea that the collective wealth of the country is the province of individuals. The Republican party is wholly sold on this, scrapping democracy for a full blown plutocracy.
More and more young people are rejecting this and embracing the ideals of socialism. They see the wealth of the nation as a resource to be used to benefit all. The role of government should be centered on helping those who have the least, and regulating those who would act against the public good.
The United States is already a very low tax country, yet the call for lowering taxes even more is heard every election cycle. The benefits of lower taxes does not offset the loss of services to lower income people, and serves to increase the disparity of wealth in this country. Private for-profit entities jump in to fill the void of disappearing services at a higher cost to both the individual and the country as a whole.
There is still enough vestiges of democracy left in the United States to reverse the slide into a free for all where few win and many lose, but upcoming elections are crucial. The direction most people in this nation want to go is forward, and we need to elect progressive representatives to take us there.
Saturday, October 20, 2018
The Importance of Freedom of No Religion
The first part of the first amendment is dedicated to religion. Religion was a very important part of the lives of many people at the founding of the United States. Even today a great many people consider their religious belief to be the guiding force in their lives. At the same time there is a continuously growing segment of the population that does not base their life views on any supernatural deity. This increase in non religiousness is most often parallel to an increase in education level. As people come to understand the intricacies of how the world works they no longer need a mysterious explanation.
At the current time, the religious significantly outnumber the non religious in the United States, although judging from the wailing of the religious you would think they were an oppressed minority. They rail at any protection benefiting those who do not want to be guided by discriminatory rules from an ancient text. They claim their freedom is violated if they are not allowed to impose their beliefs on everyone else.
Religion's importance in the daily lives of most people has historically been used as a tool of the ruling class. Conquerors were able to create a homogeneous religious identity in a nation within a generation or two with a convert or die policy. No one from the general population would dare profess a lack of belief in the religion determined by the powers that be, and philosophers and other thinkers that espoused a more rationalist view were often censured or even executed.
In the Twentieth Century Atheism was also used as a tool to unite nations like the Soviet Union and China giving it a black eye in the view of Americans. Although like religion before it, the wrongs committed by these regimes was not the result of lack of religion, but by the immorality of their leaders. Many people who lived through the cold war era see lack of belief as a sign of evil, but for their grandchildren there is no such sigma on rejecting mystical guidance from an invisible creator.
The devoutly religious will eventually become a minority, the percentage of people who claim no religion has tripled over the last thirty years. How they have treated people who do not share their beliefs while they are running the country may influence how they are perceived when they do become a minority. The current rulers of the United States in the Republican party are attempting to maintain their power by radicalizing an ever shrinking base, and inadvertently are enlightening the country to the dangers of not having representation that respects rational thought.
At the current time, the religious significantly outnumber the non religious in the United States, although judging from the wailing of the religious you would think they were an oppressed minority. They rail at any protection benefiting those who do not want to be guided by discriminatory rules from an ancient text. They claim their freedom is violated if they are not allowed to impose their beliefs on everyone else.
Religion's importance in the daily lives of most people has historically been used as a tool of the ruling class. Conquerors were able to create a homogeneous religious identity in a nation within a generation or two with a convert or die policy. No one from the general population would dare profess a lack of belief in the religion determined by the powers that be, and philosophers and other thinkers that espoused a more rationalist view were often censured or even executed.
In the Twentieth Century Atheism was also used as a tool to unite nations like the Soviet Union and China giving it a black eye in the view of Americans. Although like religion before it, the wrongs committed by these regimes was not the result of lack of religion, but by the immorality of their leaders. Many people who lived through the cold war era see lack of belief as a sign of evil, but for their grandchildren there is no such sigma on rejecting mystical guidance from an invisible creator.
The devoutly religious will eventually become a minority, the percentage of people who claim no religion has tripled over the last thirty years. How they have treated people who do not share their beliefs while they are running the country may influence how they are perceived when they do become a minority. The current rulers of the United States in the Republican party are attempting to maintain their power by radicalizing an ever shrinking base, and inadvertently are enlightening the country to the dangers of not having representation that respects rational thought.
Friday, October 19, 2018
Protecting Journalists From Assault
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The fact that journalists need to fear attack is because of Donald Trump and his rhetoric egging on a certain cretinous segment of the population. Trump and his party are desperate to hold onto power amidst a society that is moving away from their brand of authoritarianism, and he targets the most fearful to commit his violent acts of intimidation on people dedicated to telling the truth.
There are some in congress proposing bills that would make assaulting journalists in the act of doing their jobs a federal crime. The most rabid of Trump supporters would not be swayed by the threat of punishment though this might discourage some of the less zealous from crossing the line. Trump needs to also be considered complicit for any injury committed on a journalist by a supporter of his, beings he has actively encouraged this violence.
As the country progresses past this last gasp of barbarism, the idea of Trump spending his last year or two locked in prison for abetting assault on a journalist is cathartic. We must work toward a better future where reporting the truth no longer carries the risk of intimidation, injury or death.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
The Attack on Social Security
Cutting benefits to retirees would not directly effect the deficit as Social Security is funded by a separate payroll tax, and not part of the general budget. Republicans are not really serious about lowering the deficit by cutting Social Security benefits, instead they want to demolish the program because it has been so successful in its mission. A government run program that is universally loved and much better managed than any private plan could be, shows the flaws in their drive to turn all of our basic needs into a for profit scheme.
One of the things that works to Social Securities detriment is the tax supporting it relies on a robust middle class. Unlike other taxes that increase as income increases Social Security only taxes the first $128,400 a person earns. As wealth gets more concentrated in the hands of people earning many times this amount there is less to go around per person. Also this income is taxed at a flat rate of 12.4% rather than a progressive tax that is more fair to low wage earners.
Republicans see funds like Social Security as a large pot of potential profit for themselves and their wealthy donors. The first step in getting to this money is to undermine confidence in the system that administers it. No matter how they present it, they have no altruistic intent to save Social Security. Quite the opposite their intent is to steal it.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
The Trump Faithful Believe Because of His Lies not Despite Them
Trump has stated that science is some sort of innate gift that some people, including himself, have. Without the tiniest bit of understanding of how science works he confidently declares climate change is not that big of an issue. Like most everything else he claims, his statement is its own evidence. A sizable chunk of the American population believes him without question, and no matter what evidence is presented to them.
This is the methodology of dictators throughout history, going back to emperors and pharaohs who believed in their own divinity and infallibility. It is what organized religions have been used for throughout time. Helping the powerful of a society to convince people, against their best interest, to become zealots in a cause that solely benefits the powerful.
In early tribal societies the interest of the leaders and the group were generally the same. Decisions were made for the good of the group and everyone benefited. As societies became larger the connection between leader and follower lessened. Leaders began to act primarily in their own interest. Of course since there are many more followers than leaders it was difficult to get the others to support actions that were a risk to themselves. Waging a war only for the enrichment of the chief is not a great incentive to join an army.
This lead to the beginnings of organized religion. Texts that offered answers to philosophical questions were given an overtly nationalistic bent. And at the head of it all stood the leader whose right to govern became divine. Now whatever whim came from the leaders lips was beyond question and dissent punishable by damnation.
Now the majority of Americans have become too sophisticated to fall for the lies of a self serving despot, but unfortunately he does not need a majority of Americans drinking his Koolaid. Since a large chunk of Americans do not bother to vote, he simply needs a majority of the politically engaged to blindly follow.
Now that he has attained power he must continue stoking his base with lies that put their beliefs in him at odds with his political opponents. This puts a large group of people out there blindly proselytizing for him certain in the faith that Trump means salvation. Over time, as with religion, fewer people will be susceptible to the blind faith that brings about leaders like Trump. It could be a long time until their influence becomes negligible, but it will happen.
This is the methodology of dictators throughout history, going back to emperors and pharaohs who believed in their own divinity and infallibility. It is what organized religions have been used for throughout time. Helping the powerful of a society to convince people, against their best interest, to become zealots in a cause that solely benefits the powerful.
In early tribal societies the interest of the leaders and the group were generally the same. Decisions were made for the good of the group and everyone benefited. As societies became larger the connection between leader and follower lessened. Leaders began to act primarily in their own interest. Of course since there are many more followers than leaders it was difficult to get the others to support actions that were a risk to themselves. Waging a war only for the enrichment of the chief is not a great incentive to join an army.
This lead to the beginnings of organized religion. Texts that offered answers to philosophical questions were given an overtly nationalistic bent. And at the head of it all stood the leader whose right to govern became divine. Now whatever whim came from the leaders lips was beyond question and dissent punishable by damnation.
Now the majority of Americans have become too sophisticated to fall for the lies of a self serving despot, but unfortunately he does not need a majority of Americans drinking his Koolaid. Since a large chunk of Americans do not bother to vote, he simply needs a majority of the politically engaged to blindly follow.
Now that he has attained power he must continue stoking his base with lies that put their beliefs in him at odds with his political opponents. This puts a large group of people out there blindly proselytizing for him certain in the faith that Trump means salvation. Over time, as with religion, fewer people will be susceptible to the blind faith that brings about leaders like Trump. It could be a long time until their influence becomes negligible, but it will happen.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Republicans Push Fear of Socialized Health Care
There seems to be a bunch of Republicans running for re-election trying to convince their constituents that they are good for health care. It seems like a strange position to run on seeing that it can be easily proven that they are doing just the opposite. Stranger yet are the claims that Democrats who favor Medicare for All are pushing policies that would cost seniors their coverage. They attempt to demonize Socialized health care as Socialism which to them is the greatest evil in the world.
So what is the goal of this strategy? Is the rabid right wing base the intended audience or is it meant to sway a shaky swing vote? The right most effective methods always involve instilling fear to drum up support. They already have their base frenzied with the fear of anyone who looks, thinks or believes different. But what about the baby boomer who is not firmly indoctrinated with the message of hate for others, and who has an optimistic view of the future?
Republicans are very nostalgic for the cold war era, and the great old classic enemies the USSR and China. They are fond of reminding anyone old enough to remember that these evil regimes kept the world on the edge of destruction for decades. They overlook the fact that Socialism is not good or bad by itself, but it is the management of system that determines the outcome.
Any system run by tyrants will prove detrimental to the populous, whereas a democratically elected government can provide a great service to the people through robust social programs. Republicans are set on equating the Medicare for All Socialism with cold war Communism in the mind of citizens old enough to remember. Stories of the the brutality of dissent in the Soviet Union in the 50s and 60s make for good fear-mongering in today's senior citizens.
This is not a very effective strategy with younger voters, although the Republican party would rather suppress their vote than court it. Younger voters are more likely to equate Socialized health care with Denmark and Canada than East Germany and Cuba. Democrats running on Medicare for All have a winning strategy and should not be intimidated into watering down their policy goals. Educating older voters who are not blinded by fear and empowering younger voters to feel that their vote matters can bring about progress in this country.
So what is the goal of this strategy? Is the rabid right wing base the intended audience or is it meant to sway a shaky swing vote? The right most effective methods always involve instilling fear to drum up support. They already have their base frenzied with the fear of anyone who looks, thinks or believes different. But what about the baby boomer who is not firmly indoctrinated with the message of hate for others, and who has an optimistic view of the future?
Republicans are very nostalgic for the cold war era, and the great old classic enemies the USSR and China. They are fond of reminding anyone old enough to remember that these evil regimes kept the world on the edge of destruction for decades. They overlook the fact that Socialism is not good or bad by itself, but it is the management of system that determines the outcome.
Any system run by tyrants will prove detrimental to the populous, whereas a democratically elected government can provide a great service to the people through robust social programs. Republicans are set on equating the Medicare for All Socialism with cold war Communism in the mind of citizens old enough to remember. Stories of the the brutality of dissent in the Soviet Union in the 50s and 60s make for good fear-mongering in today's senior citizens.
This is not a very effective strategy with younger voters, although the Republican party would rather suppress their vote than court it. Younger voters are more likely to equate Socialized health care with Denmark and Canada than East Germany and Cuba. Democrats running on Medicare for All have a winning strategy and should not be intimidated into watering down their policy goals. Educating older voters who are not blinded by fear and empowering younger voters to feel that their vote matters can bring about progress in this country.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Country Music's Progessive Side
There is a tendency to think of country music as a politically unified conservative genre. That is why the political stances of Willie Nelson and Taylor Swift have seemed to shock their respective fans. There has always been a progressive side to country although it's been overshadowed by the image of the beer drinking blissfully ignorant guy pining for the good old days.I have never been a huge fan of mainstream country music. My preferences in the genre are the likes of the Flying Burrito Brothers and Uncle Tupelo, but I have spent much time in places where the radio repeated the same top five country hits over and over. I also do not generally judge an artist's art by their political opinions, although I can make exceptions in the cases of some of the more egregious Trumpers.
If you look way back to the 60s' and 70s' you can find songs by icons the likes of Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn that are very much in line with progressive ideas of the time. Over the years left leaning stars like Willie Nelson, Steve Earl, Garth Brooks, and the Dixie Chicks have proved that not all country musicians are creepy Maga wearing hillbillies.
As Taylor Swift recently demonstrated, country music artists who come out supporting progressive candidates can encourage young people to think about what they truly value, and make an effort to vote. Getting first time voters enthused about taking an active role in improving their future is always a good thing.
Friday, October 12, 2018
Getting the Truth to the Apathetic
This apathy especially applies to younger voters. To them the erosion of the state of things in the United States is gradual and inevitable. They choose to avoid thinking about climate change or the state of healthcare or any of the crises facing this country because they choose not to investigate to uncover the truth. Instead they get their information from social media sources that may be saturated with zealots from both sides.
It did not take long for the far right to see the success the left was having posting truths about the crimes and failings of the right's policies. The right quickly realized that they could just as easily spread their lies in the same way, they did not even need to change the statements just change the direction the finger of guilt pointed.
The use of fact checking sites as a way of counteracting the influence of Trump and his co-conspirators is somewhat effective but requires a constant vigilance against post comments and memes. There is also the fact that Fox News is given the status of a news network instead of the propaganda factory it really is.
There needs to be an accounting for the use of lies as a way to discredit your opponents point, but this can only come from the people who are the intended audience of those lies. Young people need to be mentored into feeling the truth is something worth seeking, and that they are empowered enough to feel that they can make a difference with their participation. In places where this happens it just takes a few to become viral and inspire many more.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Time to Democratize the Senate
The 37 million people in California have the same number of senators as the less than 600,000 of Wyoming. This unequal representation came about during the formation of the United States as a way to entice the less populous southern states to join the union. This has resulted in an uneven representation in very important decisions like the selection of Supreme Court justices.
So how could the Senate be made more democratic without abolishing the whole institution? Having each Senators vote weighted by the population of their state would bring it much closer in line to the true definition of Democracy. It would make important decisions more closely align with the will of the majority.
Now this would place most of the power in the hands of just a few senators with smaller state senators only coming into play when the vote is close. It could also serve to amplify the effects of corporate lobbying and dark money, so these practises would need to be removed to make it safely democratic. Our country is facing many obstacles to democracy like the Electoral College, gerrymandered congressional districts, allowing corporations the same rights as individuals and voter suppression but the make up of the Senate is one of the worst.
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Some Statistics on False Accusation
Much of the time false accusations get lumped in with cases determined to be unfounded. That is to say a sexual assault may have occurred but There was not enough evidence to convict. This also does not take into account any biases the investigator may have. The investigator may discount the story of a victim who was drinking, or had a history of "partying".
The best guesses generally put the number of false accusations at 2% to 10%. This percentage is of reported cases, and considering that only about one third of all sexual assaults are reported, the odds of a report of sexual assault being falsified are probably around 1% to 3%. That would be for a single case from a single accuser. If three separate reports from three different women surfaced the odds of there being a false report shrink to almost negligible.
All of this added together should have triggered a much more through investigation. For there to have been any limits on time or scope was a disservice to truth and justice. Any time a person is accused of a criminal act there should be rigorous due process before a determination of guilt is made. Even if a person made mistakes in their youth that does not mean they should be made to pay for them all their life either.
Brett Kavanaugh could have done what was best for the country and withdrew from consideration and offered a heartfelt apology. Depite what he said this would not have ruined his life. He would still be a wealthy powerful man, not having to wonder how he would pay rent of put food on the table. Instead he chose to commit perjury which should be an automatic disqualification for any judgeship.
Monday, October 8, 2018
Interacting With the Cult of Trump
Like I said I usually try to not interact with these people, but sometimes because the person in question is a relative I am torn about the idea of cutting off contact. It can be infuriating hearing people you care about espousing these philosophies that are damaging our country. So how do you strike a balance that keeps your sanity intact?
Try very hard not to get in a shouting match. Their position is immovable and getting more adamant about yours doesn't do anything to change that. Continue to calmly make your point as if you were talking to a reasonable person. That doesn't mean you have to back down by any means, although if they actually make a point that makes some sense let them know. They will not be the first to compromise but they may be more open to listening if they feel that you aren't trying to completely invalidate their whole life view.
Don't expect "Fact Checking" to make a difference. They do not recognize the legitimacy of any source outside of their right wing bubble. If it calls into question their predetermined beliefs it is "Fake News". These people combine politics and religion in a strange hybrid philosophy that dehumanizes anyone outside of their world. They honestly believe that God gave them Donald Trump and that capitalism is a moral imperative. Keep your statements as factual and informative as you can, remember your ideas are quite foreign to someone who has only been viewing Fox News, thinking that it represents the reality of America.
Keep your world view positive. Right wing politics is the politics of fear. The whole reason they believe so strongly the way they do is because of fearmongering on the part of Republican leadership. Offering up concepts that would change the world for the better eats away at their dismal view of the state of the world today.
The only real useful reason to discuss politics with someone in the "Cult of Trump" is, if you have an audience. Your rational presentation of the truth may out influence their irrational conspiracy based lies.
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