Category: Social Justice

History Calls

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Will we Answer That Call?

Today’s Blog – A Change in Plans

The plan for today’s blog was to start a conversation on the economy, economics, and the interrelation with politics. That is always an important set of factors, and more so today than in many other times in our history.

But what surely looks like the murder of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis and the shooting of two people by ICE in Portland demand our attention. Lots has been and will be written about all of this, but some things demand attention by us all,

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It’s a New Year. What Awaits Us?
     

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A Few items to Consider

What Kind of Year Is Upon Us?

Thanks to everyone for your patience on the day+ delay on this posting. Still working through a few technical issues but looks like we are pretty much back on line, so here we go.

Too soon to tell, of course. There continue, and in some cases increasing, worrisome things afoot, but also some promising indicators have begun showing up. We will not try to list all those possibilities, but let’s take a look at 10 events/indicators worth observing and we will see how things go from there.

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Bill Clinton And James Talarico Said It Correctly

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America’s Economic Divide Will Decide Our Future – Soon

First, A Note of Recognition

Today is Veterans Day. Take a moment to reflect on those who answered the call to serve and their families. We owe them more than could ever be measured. I look forward to the day when those who serve now have civilian leadership worthy of those responsibilities.

A Few Carefully Chosen Words Communicate Volumes

The most famous phrase to come out of Bill Clinton’s first and successful run for President was “It’s the economy, stupid.”  His colorful campaign manager James Carville is generally accredited with the phrase and the resulting campaign focus.

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A Mix of International & National Items

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Never a Dull Moment, Is There?

 Alaska Talks

We don’t know what took place or who said what, since Trump, breaking what had been a 100% precedent with all other presidents, talked with Putin with no note takers present and no transcripts published.

The fact that the meeting ran about half the allocated time and that there was no Q & A at the “press conference” at the end, indicates that at least Trump perhaps did not give away everything, but time will tell, especially from the meetings with the president of Ukraine and NATO leaders this week,

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One Thought, One Goal

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There is a Lot Going On. Let’s Focus on Effects and Causes to Frame the Rest

And So It Continues

The chaos, cruelty, and destructiveness of the Trump administration continues. It is being blocked or tripping over its own feet in some areas and is being aggressive in others. As I heard someone say recently, we are in only the first quarter of a four quarter (four year) engagement. Not the time to get tired yet.

Part of the Plan 2025 modality is to overwhelm the opposition and to flood the media and public consciousness every day,

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Well, At Least The Path Forward Is Clear

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The Speed In Which Trump’s Awful Legislation Passed Speaks Volumes

What the Public Thinks About All This

Some really interesting data points on all this. Reliable polls show that people who have any information at all on the legislation hate it, by 2 -1 margin. But it also shows that less than 10% of the population feel they know much about it and over one-third say they know nothing about it.

That is a stunning bit of information and a damning finding on the Democrats at all levels. It is a complete mystery to me why Democrats did not flood local media with very specific numbers as to what this bill meant to each local community and nationally.

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Six Short Topics For Today

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Elections Have Consequences

Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid

The proposed Trump budget essentially guts Medicaid and dumps the resulting deficit of funding onto the states. If you think Social Security and Medicare are not next, I have a bridge I would like to sell you. This is simply the start of gutting our social care networks, which are already less than almost every other developed country model. People will be hurt, people will die, states will be saddled with impossible burdens. A lot of Trump voters are about to find a reconning coming their way, with much more to follow in other budget items.

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Immigration – Not Really All That Complex

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The Question is Who Wants to Not Solve It

Well, OK, There Is Some Complexity

I don’t want to be too flippant on this important topic. There are complications throughout this issue, and uncounted groups and organizations involved. Most of our laws and procedures are out of date by decades. But as will eventually (hopefully) establish here today, it is not complexity that keeps us from solving this. Its bad intent and bad communications that keep us in turmoil.

Three Groups Are Why We Have Not Solved This

We shall discuss momentarily why most people,

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Is the Blue Bird of Happiness Around the Corner?

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Well, Probably Not. Still, There are good signs. Here are some of them.

 Interesting First 100 Days, Eh?

Well, we cannot say the first 100 days of this administration have been boring. Trump has pursued largely the path he laid out in the campaign. Only some of his voters seem surprised at what that actually mean. Others are still fans but give it time – this dance will get old for about everyone shortly.

There are–finally–signs of resistance and effective pushback popping up all over the country. Let’s take a look at a few of them and draw encouragement from the patterns shaping up.

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Maybe Sesame Street Has An Answer

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How Best to Understand This Administration

Remember Sesame Street And The Alphabet?

You may remember that Sesame Street has offered sessions that focus on one letter of the alphabet, with examples of how that letter could be used to spell words. Given the constant mess and communications kerfuffle that is the Trump administration, maybe the Sesame Street approach of one focus at a time might help.

So, ladies and gentlemen, let us consider The Letter C – a letter with TONS of applications for this administration. We will look at a few of them today.

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