VOTE
When the people are not heard
They must raise their voices.
When the people are not heard
The must raise their voices louder.
When the people are not heard
They must wave their hands.
When the people are not heard
They must pound on doors.
When the people are not heard
They must remove those who do not listen.
— Scott Harker
10/7/18 – After witnessing in real-time the corruption of the Republican Party and, in this example, Republican senators as they forced an unfit and unqualified nominee (Kavanaugh) onto the Supreme Court, this poem just popped out.
I hope you will allow that poetry can be part of the resistance!
Recently, I wrote a post at the website DailyKos.com about Medicare for all. From the responses and comments the article received, I learned several things.
For one, I don’t think most of us actually want “Medicare” For All. They want something better!
Now Medicare is fine, for what it does. But not so good, for what it does not do.
For example, it still costs its recipients money to participate in Medicare. Perhaps, you thought Medicare was free for your grand parents or parents who are on it.
Not so. First of all, part of the cost of Medicare is paid for by taking some money each money each money from the recipient’s Social Security Benefits. And since Medicare does not cover all of your general medical needs, you also need to buy supplemental insurance. And, finally, there are out of pocket expenses, including co-pays, prescription costs and medical/hospital costs that are not covered by either Medicare or supplemental insurance.
One person I know on Medicare, pays from $375 to $500 a month depending upon variable medical needs. This sum does include the Medicare payment from Social Security and the supplemental insurance.
It is important to be responsible for one’s own health, including paying for visits to doctors, prescription drugs, therapy and so on, but if you thought the money you have been paying into Medicare from your paycheck each week covered everything… It doesn’t.
Another issue with Medicare and basic supplemental insurance, for those over 65, is what is not covered: Mental health, dental health, hearing and vision is too often inadequate and certainly does not cover the real needs of older patients.
So what do we really want? Basically, a combination of universal healthcare and a single payer system.
Reader’s comment from DailyKos.com – Medicare For All: I’m on Medicare, and agree with this list of flaws — one reason why I’m not on board with “Medicare for All” as the model for “universal coverage.” (The co-pays, deductibles, and exclusions are considerable.) If you reconfigure it as you propose, it won’t be Medicare, it will be something else — and it will require a big infusion of funding from somewhere. Read more…
xx
Universal healthcare means, if you have a medical problem with any part of your body including teeth, eyes, ears and mind, you can go to a doctor or medical facility and have your issue addressed without worrying about the specific cost of your visit.
Single payer means that only one entity is billed for your visit – most likely the federal government. No longer will the approximately 4 trillion dollars that we pay annually for healthcare be funneled through a thousand different systems – including a multitude of insurance plans, state government agencies, federal government agencies and your wallet.
This future system will not be free – trillions of dollars will still need to be available to take care of the health of the Nation. Instead of paying “Medicare” taxes from your paycheck, you may instead be paying “universal healthcare” taxes. These taxes might be a bit more or they might not be, but certainly, you will eliminate the cost of having to buy health insurance. And businesses won’t have to buy company health insurance and can increase your wages.
My point is, that the money is there – how we account for it and transfer it to pay for services will change a little bit. But all the evidence shows that by going to a universal healthcare/single payer system we actually, collectively, will pay a little less and get much better medical care!
How human beings source energy to utilize in their daily lives is transitioning from corporate controlled fossil fuels to individually controlled renewable energies – in the main solar energy. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be a need for the logistical prowess of the corporate structure in such areas as maintaining the electrical grid and coordinating the use of large scale power plants. But things are changing.
Take the coal industry – I believe that coal has already become a second tier commodity. Almost no nation on Earth, except Indonesia, is actively adding new coal burning power plants. China, India, the United States, Europe, etc., have all stopped adding new coal plants and have begun to either close old ones down or convert them to burning natural gas. In March 2017, the state of Ohio announced the closing of two coal power plants. And that is just one example of the closure events taking place around the planet. I believe that oil, too, will soon become a second tier commodity.
Despite the stumbling attempts by popular vote loser Trump and his cabal of corrupt cockroaches (supported by the Republican Party of Death) to keep us mired in the fossil fuel economy, the marketplace is leaving them behind. This is clearly the case in the area of portable solar panels.
Foldable Portable Solar Panel on Amazon
If you use a cell phone, tablet, notebook computer or similar devices, there are now portable solar panels that you can use to charge these devices and help you become more individually energy independent (IEI).
Imagine the millions of devices that are right now plugged into wall sockets – drawing in power from fossil fueled power plants. While each device takes but a tiny sip of energy, that power multiplied by millions – day after day – begins to add up to a substantial amount of energy usage. What if instead, those devices where charged by sunlight?
Each use of solar energy takes back a bit of power from corporations like Exxon-Mobile, countries like Russia and their lackeys in government and places that power into your hands. And this is good for our personal worth, our environment and our future.
What are portable solar panels? Basically these are small solar panels that can be taken wherever you go. Often foldable, they can be easily carried or attached to backpacks. You can take them hiking and camping. Slightly larger units are available for RV’s and cabins that are off the grid. Some units are as large as small suitcases.
While some of these mini solar power plants, like those that cost from $50 to $100, are mainly designed to charge up USB devices and 12V batteries, there are larger portable units that can even run small appliances. Often individual units can be hooked together for greater power output.
External Rechargeable Battery on Amazon
I suggest that you start off with a relatively inexpensive portable solar panel that lets you charge your battery operated devices directly through USB ports (most units have, at least, dual ports). Or use the solar panel charger in conjunction with a chargeable external battery that can then be used to recharge your phones and tablets and so on.
If you place the solar panels in front of your sunniest window, you then will have a useful power center in your own home. You can, of course, take these portable solar panels with you when you hunt or camp or travel in general. And in any emergency, a wildfire or a hurricane, you will have a power source for your devices – a phone, an LED light, and maybe a coffee machine when the grid is offline.
I have created this little video to show some examples of portable solar panels… You can find a bit more information and links on where to buy these particular devices at this website: 8 Portable Solar Panels Reviewed.
Here are more portable sun powered chargers on eBay:
When my ancestors first arrived on the North American continent 388 years ago, they did what the Native Americans were already doing: They burned wood for warmth and light and used the rivers and streams for transportation. Generally, the colonists and pioneers had only to use their hands for gathering up energy for their homes. For the next 221 or so years, almost all citizens and natives dwelling in the colonies and later the United States and its territories were individually energy independent – they did not have to depend upon an outside or a foreign source – just themselves.
Of course, this is a generalization, as cities built up – not everyone had easy access to the forests and wood was delivered to these people. Whale oil was also an important source of light. Candles were not always made by individual families, but purchased in stores. Then, of course, coal began to supplant wood in the larger towns and cities and direct, individual ownership of energy began to be diminish.
Then by 1900, oil had developed to the point where it has become the dominant form of energy used by our civilizations. Oil, which is controlled by a very few and upon which most of us are dependent upon to go out about our daily lives. Oil, coal, gas and nuclear power are all centrally controlled and the individual is dependent upon others to access that energy.
But that is about to change big time – and once again each of us can be IEI – individually energy independent! Thanks to solar energy.
Solar technology combined with wind energy, tidal power, geothermal and oceanic thermal inversion systems can power the energy needs of the United States, if we but implement it. The above renewable energy sources can take care of us today and tomorrow and for unimaginable generations to come.
While some of the renewable energy will come for large scale projects – such as wind farms and tidal power systems. Much of the energy taken from the sun can be captured by individuals and small communities – enough to make those smaller communities independent for their normal daily needs.
So how do you get started? The cost and efficiency of solar panels has improved every year. If you have not done an analysis lately – your home budget might now be financially ready to place those panels on your roof or in your backyard. And these solar panels can be hooked up to the grid to supply extra electricity outward or stored into home battery systems to be used at night or during days of inclement weather.
European countries have begun to install battery systems that will take the day’s extra electricity and sock it away for later use. We can do that here as well. For example, the company Tesla, the maker of electric cars, has branched out into solar installations that include home battery storage systems.
But for many – the cost is still too high for that kind of investment, but there are other possibilities to explore.
Check to see if your local or state government has a grant program for home installation of solar panels. And check with your local power company, too, they may have grants or no interest loans. Additionally, some solar installation companies will let you pay your bill monthly – in amounts equal to your average savings in energy costs from the use of the new solar panels on your roof.
And speaking of local and state governments, it is time to pressure your representative and civic leaders to go solar wherever it is possible. Government buildings need to be going solar – saving tax dollars in the long term. And at the state level, special solar and wind projects need to be developed and funded and perhaps those grants for home owners can be funded, too.
At the local level, zoning laws can be passed requiring new construction to include solar panels or, at a minimum, sky lights and solar tubes. Physically large buildings such as shopping malls could be required to install solar panels on their roofs or place them creatively into their parking lots. Commercial buildings may find that the investment made in utilizing sunlight will save them money over time.
When it comes to community solar systems – the goal is to utilize space that is going to waste. So use your imagination and let get our local neighborhoods, communities, towns, counties and state IEI – Individually Energy Independent.
Solar Panel Related Items For Sale
[phpbay]solar panel kit, 15, “”, “”[/phpbay]
Solar Power – Solar Panels – Solar Powered Carport Here is an older video which provides one imaginative way to install a solar power system into a home or commercial space.
What a wonderful time to be a patriot. This is the first time in American History that we can save the Republic by not shopping! Or by shopping wisely.
We have a President and his cabinet members that are deeply associated with various businesses and services. Their actions and policies can be, at least, pressured by buying their products (this is called bribery) or by boycotting their products (saving the Republic). This has never happened before and we need to act to make sure this kind of corruption is stopped and prevented from permanently harming the United States.
It has become abundantly clear that popular vote loser Trump is more concerned about his personal gains and businesses than the National Good. And his choosing self-interested billionaires to be the ones who help him ruin (run) the Executive Branch of government needs to be protested and stopped. Boycotting is a valuable part of such a process.
Some people do not like the idea of boycotting. It is a strong statement to make and should only be used when a social injustice, financial injustice, environmental injustice or similar injustices have occurred. I am someone, who along with more than half of the voting population, that did not go for Trump. And I can see those injustices already piling up by the Trump Administration.
Whether it is an attack on religious freedom and tolerance, removing the protective financial regulations of Wall Street, pushing obsolete oil pipelines through sensitive environments, the incompetent killing of children by our misdirected military, attacks on the Freedom of the Press and Judicial Branch of government, and personal threats of force by the President against those exercising their Right of Speech, it is clear that boycotting is not only justified, but necessary.
Some might also suggest that boycotting hurts workers and communities more than the actual culprits of injustice. And in the short term, there is some truth to that – some specific workers and associated stores are impacted. But as the money that used to go to one store instead goes to another store or product, workers will follow where the money goes. And if the ultimate goal of a boycott is achieved everyone benefits.
Boycotting is another way of saying “voting with your dollars.” Whenever and wherever you can, choose to support good people and companies and stop giving money to those people and business entities that neither care for you nor for the planet as a whole.
Who and what to boycott?
1) Trump and Family: Boycott any Trump hotel, golf course and related business. Do not buy any products such as ties, clothing, jewelry, dishes, etc., that carries the Trump Brand. This includes those items associated to Trump’s family such as Ivanka and Melania. His children are active participants in the political conning that has taken place – they are not innocent bystanders, but active participants in the the Trump fraud and Brand.
2) The Secretary of State – Rex Tillerson was CEO with Exxon-Mobil. And Exxon-Mobil is a reprehensible company and is worthy of boycotting on its own. Do not purchase from E-M gas stations, or buy oil products and any other products that you can identify with this giant corporation. Fill up your car at other filling stations than Exxon-Mobile. There is no reason why this corporation needs to continue to exist. Other companies can do their job.
And the truth is – everyday we are closer to becoming a sustainable (non-oil based) economy, where oil and its products become a second-tier commodity. The oil companies hate this and are fighting it, but Europe and China and Brazil and the United States are all taking steps to that reality.
3) Secretary of Labor – Andy Puzder. This guy is the owner of Carl’s Jr and Hardees fast food restaurants. These 2 businesses are easy to boycott as there are plenty of other places to eat instead of these restaurants. Boycott them. Again you might feel sorry for the workers at these places, I do, too. Because they are poorly paid and lack decent benefits. And remember as a Carl Jr’s or Hardees closes – another, better restaurant will open and they will want workers, there.
MORE TO COME: There are many scary people being placed into Trump’s cabinet many of whom have businesses and products that should be shunned. I will add them at a later date. Today, I just wanted you who read these posts to consider this idea of boycotting, so that you can start using or not using your dollars right away to put financial pressure on the most obvious of targets. Boycotting that does work and can make changes for the better for all of us.
The Subject is Funny | Star Trek Cartoons and More Humor
The Star Trek Reality
By Scott Harker
Occasionally our human culture creates iconic literature that transcends its time of origin. Hercules, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Batman and Superman are such examples. I think that Star Trek and its various characters also have a chance to reverberate in our collective consciousness for many years to come. Particularly, Captain Kirk (courage), Mr. Spock (intellect) and Dr. McCoy (emotions) are recognized around the planet.
Because the Star Trek characters are so well-known, it is a fertile field for humorists, including this Star Trek fan work.
Here we have a cartoon from the Star Trek Series Deep Space 9 featuring the shapeshifter Odo. Another cartoon below features the Vulcan culture as reflected in Star Trek: The Original Series. Enjoy.
Star Trek Limerick
Cartoonist Note: The original version of the cartoon used the words “F*ck Off” instead of “Kiss Off”, which is probably better, but that art version has been misplaced.
That Remarkable Vulcan Spock
That remarkable character Spock
Well renowned for his logical talk,
His blood, it is green,
And he never gets mean,
Is most known for his long, pointed “ears”.
(Yes, I know that the last line of this limerick does not rhyme – it is, thus, illogical to call this a limerick, ha ha!)
A SPACE LIMERICK
I. Obtaining Warp Drive
Black holes maybe huge warps in space
Through we’ll travel, time to time, place to place,
Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Enterprise, and related properties are Registered Trademarks of Paramount Pictures. No infringement of Paramount’s copyrights is intended.
The initial reason for starting this blog was that my local newspaper the Curry Coastal Pilot did not publish my Letters to the Editor and I was frustrated that my alternate viewpoint of events was not being heard. So I set up this blog and all of a sudden my letters began to appear, so I wrote about other subjects here…
But my last two missives to the editorial section of the paper have been ignored by the editor of the newspaper, so now I am going to use this website for its original purpose (at least in this post). These two letters are related to the 2016 Presidential election and are pro-Hillary and anti-Trump.
If by some happenstance between now and the November election, my letters do grace the pages of the “Pilot” I will apologize to the editor here or just remove this post. Anyway, here are the two letters:
Letter one written 8/24/16
Presidential Candidates Public Record
Short list of Hillary Clinton’s public record:
Helped disabled children – lead to the Disability Act.
Went undercover to expose Civil Rights violations.
Arkansas pre-school program.
Children’s Health Program (insures 8 million children).
Expanded human rights in China (women’s rights are human rights).
Reduced rates of AIDS, malaria, cancer in Africa. Feeds children in America
Released tax statements, pays around 50% in local, state, federal taxes – tithes 10% to charity.
Hillary wants to expand Social Security (more money for Senior Citizens).
***
Short list of Donald Trump’s public record:
$1 million from father to start business.
Guilty of housing discrimination in 70’s.
Built casinos that went bankrupt. Started airline that failed.
Business failures bailed out by father – $9 million, by mother, family – $20 million.
Hired foreign workers not Americans for Florida hotel.
Makes ties in China, not United States.
TV actor who says: “You’re fired!”
Four+ bankruptcies – does not pay bills.
Current $230,000 lien against his golf course.
On trail for fraud, violating RICO Act. Potential bribery and perjury
US Banks no longer lend him money. Trump owes $100 million to German Bank. Financial ties to Russia.
Asked foreign country to spy on US Government – Espionage.
Promotes political assassination.
Has not released tax statements.
Donald wants to privatize Social Security (less security for Senior Citizens).
Letter two written 9/14/16
Riddle Me This
Riddle me this… Who Am I?
I have been sued 3,500 times and I do not pay my bills. I have declared bankruptcy five times and have many failed businesses.
I make fun of the disabled, women and immigrants.
I hire illegals for construction work and foreign workers in Florida and say it is because Americans can’t do the job.
I am endorsed by the KKK and white supremacists and love ignorant people, but can’t stand babies.
I love dictators like Putin, Kim Jong-un and Saddam Hussein. I do interviews on Russian TV disparaging America.
I say that our military is terrible and our Generals are rubble.
I make the ties I sell in China and the suits I sell in Mexico. I owe millions to Chinese and German Banks and to Russian Oligarchs.
I will not release my tax returns because I have something to hide.
I have been fined $250,000 for illegal campaign contributions. I am currently charged with fraud and violating the RICO Act in an ongoing court case. I have practiced housing discrimination.
I think Saudi Arabia should have nuclear bombs and we should go to war, if someone makes a hand gesture at one of our Navy’s boats. Tweet me wrong and I will go crazy.
Who am I? This limerick gives the answer:
The Candidate known as Trump
Comes riding on an elephant’s rump,
But the way that he acts
Using lies as facts,
Makes him more like an elephant’s dump.
Are these powerful letters to dangerous for the local newspaper’s readers? Wiould they be changed forever if they learned that there are supporters of Hillary Clinton in Curry County? Enough stroking of my ego…As ever I appreciate your reading what I have to say, comments are always welcome…
Here are two election candidate limericks I wrote a couple of days ago, after reading a political limerick at Daily Kos. I figured I could do a much better poem and I think I did…
Here we have an elephant’s rump. Donald Trump’s male children like to hunt elephants and leopards. Hillary Clinton loves elephants and wants to protect them. I bet elephants are hoping Hillary wins the United States Presidency! Help SAVE ELEPHANTS, Visit: Worldwildlife.org, Adopt an Elephant.
Of the two major party candidates running for office, the name Trump is a pretty easy word to rhyme*, so I started with him.
Trump…
The Candidate known as Trump
Comes riding on an elephant’s rump,
But the way that he acts
Using lies as facts,
Makes him more like an elephant’s dump.
I think it is almost perfect as limerick go, it is topical, clever, scatological and true. As far as writing it, the limerick came straight from my muse to the page.
Now let’s go to the candidate of with a more complex name. Hillary (Clinton). I decided to use the first name because the first rhyme is so appropriate for her career. But please read on to decide if that is true:
Hillary…
There was a young lady named Hillary
Whom Repubs began to pillory.
Through grit and talent from within
She became a Great American,
Hats off to future President, Madame Hillary.
This political poetry was more of a struggle to write, but not because of the subject. Hillary Clinton is a great American, and I look forward to her being our next President. Technically, though, this is not a perfect limerick…
First, there are scanning problems. To make this poem scan properly, you have to use your inner or outer voice to stress, condense or stretch some syllables.
Secondly, the action and content within the limerick is more complex than the Trump example. With the Trump limerick the words are very simple and easy to grasp – a child of six or seven can probable get the joke within the poem. The hardest word to grasp, for a six year old, might be the word “Fact.” But then Donald doesn’t seem to be able to grasp facts either.
As I say, the Hillary limerick uses words that require a higher reading level. Understanding that Repubs is short for thuggish Republicans and knowing what pillory means demands a better reader comprehension. Not to mention that understanding the concept of “grit and talent from within” takes a bit more education than understanding “an elephant’s dump.” But the real problem here is that Hillary Clinton’s future title will be Madame President and not the informal Madame Hillary. Still I think it is poetic license to form the last line this way as it conveys (I hope) the overall theme.
Also, I do not like repeating the same word to make the end rhyme, but my brain is not providing me with another relevant rhyme for Hillary.
But let me make it clear that despite my artistic criticisms above, I think this Hilary limerick is pretty good.
*Trump the man is a fascist monster, whose pathological lying makes him a great danger to humanity’s future if given any real power over us…
Just in case, you were still hankering for more limericks, I have added this one (it is not mine):
The more traditional limerick deals with sex – directly or through innuendo. Here is a nice example of one such a five line poem that was printed in The New Yorker Magazine in the 1930’s:
A susceptible senior at Vassar
Is knitting an antimacassar
To lure her professor
To love and caress her,
And possibly even to pass her.
=> And, if you are looking for elephant collectibles, check out this link: Jade Elephants.
In 1846 Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense was first published and the limerick craze began. Sparkling Limericks follows in the great crazy tradition of this well-loved verse form, which is to say that it is full of earthy humour, wacky wordplay and excruciating rhymes to set the reader laughing and groaning. The handsome young fellow from Clwyd makes a notable appearance here, perhaps for the first time in a limerick, and the old man from Dubrovnik proves to be an even greater rhyming challenge.
When it comes to Hillary Clinton there are many reasons why I am for her: I see someone who is already a Great American. Someone who has improved healthcare in this county, fought for human rights around the world, supported Veterans, lessened the threat of nuclear war with the Russians and Iran, decreased malaria, aids and cancer in the world, helped with logistics in Flint and the is just a partial listing of her accomplishments.
I find her an exceptional American, who wants, as President:
To expand Social Security. To increase the minimum wage. Equal pay (gender wage equality). To re-balance economic distribution with fairer taxation (rich paying more). Intelligent foster care and affordable child care. To revitalize pre-school through high school using logistical task forces. Debt-free college. To transition to a sustainable/renewable energy economy. Half a billion solar panels installed by 2020. 100% clean energy by 2050. To rebuild infrastructure and prepare to mitigate climate change damage. To reform the justice system – no more cradle to prison replaced with cradle to college to a brighter future. To be a Diplomat first, while still being a strong Commander in Chief. Immigration reform. To invest in housing. To eliminate lead as a health risk. And so much more!
As to the matter of trust. I absolutely do trust Hillary Clinton to do what is best for me, for this country and for the rest of the life on this planet.
And more importantly, as I have watched Hillary Clinton over the last year and a half, listened to her speak, read once again her words and of her works and heard the testimony of others – both great and small, about this great American, I have re-awoken. With the better part of my mind, the better part of my heart and as best my body will carry me, I will follow her where she leads.
General Francis Marion
Centuries ago, one of my ancestors was a member of General Francis Marion’s irregulars. General Marion lead a group of whites and blacks and Native American soldiers who fought the British throughout the swamps of the Carolinas and elsewhere during the Revolutionary War.
While General Washington’s Army, in New York and the rest of New England, was often blocked from taking offensive action and had to be satisfied just to survive, General Marion and his forces were winning small victory after small victory as they harassed the British, destroyed supply lines and won small battles. Without Marion, known as “The Swamp Fox” and his men, the British would have won the war.
I have often wondered what my ancestor’s thoughts and feelings were, back then, when he was fighting to form a new country.
Lately, I think I have been getting an inkling of what went through my ancestor’s mind and heart. For Hillary Clinton has called out something within me. To be better and to act better.
She is my personal “General Marion.” And by following her, I am ready to fight for a renewed and better United States.
During the American Revolutionary War, General Francis Marion, known as “The Swamp Fox,” waged a guerrilla war against British forces under General Tarleton, harassing them and eventually driving the British Army out of South Carolina. This book, written by one of his militia members, tells the story of the Swamp Fox.
A large number of senior citizens (55 and older) live in Curry County, Oregon. And many of them receive Social Security. Chances are, though, they are not receiving the dollar amount of monthly payments they deserve. Over the last 40 plus years, the American worker has been underpaid, based upon the actual increase in productivity of American workers during that same time period. In fact, if American worker productivity was reflected in wages, today’s minimum wage would be $24/hour and politically we are just trying to reach $15, at most.
By the way, if you were a female worker during those years, you got an additional cut in pay based upon your gender!
If wages had been paid based on productivity, today’s senior citizens would have made more money during their working years, paid more in social security taxes (FICA taxes) during those years and today would be getting more money in Social Security payments each month.
To put it bluntly, both the senior citizens in Curry County and senior citizens throughout the country were wage robbed.
Who got this money? The richest people and corporations – the proverbial one percent.
I say it is now time to redress this imbalance and give senior citizens a raise by increasing monthly Social Security benefits.
So what can we do to give Seniors that raise and even increase the solvency of the Social Security Trust fund for say an additional 25 years? We can get the rich and the rich corporations to pay back the robbed wages through very easy taxation.
The Democrats in Congress and the Democratic candidate for President Hillary Clinton have suggested several new revenue streams to bolster Social Security and increase benefits to seniors. One suggestion is to Scrap the Cap that currently exempts wages over $250,000 from being taxed for FICA purposes. If people like Beyonce and football stars and bankers and oil company execs and everyone making over $250,000 suddenly had to pay FICA taxes on those wages, billions of additional dollars would be collected into the Social Security Trust Fund.
Another idea is to start collecting FICA taxes from non-wage income, commonly called passive income. Again this would basically affect only the richest among us and generate billions of additional dollars for Social Security, while still allowing these same people to continue enjoying their multiple houses, yachts, cars and the “good” life.
Should woman recipients of Social Security benefits get a larger increase compared to men? Maybe, to make up for the underpaying due to gender bias. But the important thing is to correct the major economic imbalance and give Seniors the raise they deserve.
If you think your parents or you, yourself, deserve a raise like this, tell Congress to increase Social Security benefits. And if the Republicans won’t help get this done, elect Democrats this fall 2016.
Here are a couple of books on the subject that you might want to check out:
A growing chorus of prominent voices in Congress and elsewhere are calling for the expansion of our Social Security system—people who know that Social Security will not “go broke” and does not add a penny to the national debt. Social Security Works! will amplify these voices and offer a powerful antidote to the three-decade-long, billionaire-funded campaign to make us believe that this vital institution is destined to collapse. It isn’t.
From the Silent Generation to Baby Boomers, from Generation X to Millennials and Generation Z, we all have a stake in understanding the real story about Social Security. Critical to addressing the looming retirement crisis that will affect two- thirds of today’s workers, Social Security is a powerful program that can help stop the collapse of the middle class, lessen the pressure squeezing families from all directions, and help end the upward redistribution of wealth that has resulted in perilous levels of inequality.
All Americans deserve to have dignified retirement years as well as an umbrella to protect them and their families in the event of disability or premature death. Sure to be a game-changer, Social Security Works! cogently presents the issues and sets forth both an agenda and a political strategy that will benefit us all. At stake are our values and the kind of country we want for ourselves and for those that follow.
Social Security is bankrupting us. It’s outdated. It’s a Ponzi scheme. It’s stealing from young people. These are some of the biggest myths and lies about one of the most successful programs in our nation’s history.
Three-quarters of Americans depend heavily on Social Security in their elderly years and nearly half would be living in poverty without it. But as important and popular as it is, Social Security has become a political football. A well-financed campaign—supported by conservatives, special interest groups, and even leading Democrats—has lobbied for cuts and significant “entitlement reform,” falsely proclaiming that Social Security is going broke.
Policy expert Steven Hill argues that Social Security should not only be defended, it should be substantially expanded. Here he proposes how we can double the monthly benefit and how to pay for it by closing many of the tax loopholes and deductions that disproportionately favor the wealthy few.
It is time for the world to transition from societies built around fossil fuels to societies built around renewable and sustainable energy. The question is no longer whether we should make this transition, but has turned to how do we do this with the least amount of economic disruption and social upheaval.
Today, the world depends upon oil and to a lesser extent on coal. Electricity is generated, cars run on, and homes are heated with fossil fuels. Oil touches almost every aspect of our lives – from going to work, school or play, to how industries fuel their factories, to how we produce and transport our food.
And as we replace oil and coal with wind, geothermal and solar energy sources, we will also have to replace fossil fuel jobs with renewable jobs.
Going from fossil fuels to renewables is a daunting task which needs to be done quickly, but as smartly as the project of putting mankind on the moon or winning World War Two.
For example, are we going to convert every gas station into an electric station for our cars? For that matter how long will it take for us to replace gas engine cars with electric cars?
We are going to be using oil for the foreseeable future – the goal is to drop oil consumption quickly, but smartly. And we need to acknowledge that large scale oil usage will still be with us, most likely through to the next century.
There are many reasons to pursue a country where oil plays a diminishing role in its economy:
To slow down and eventually reverse the climate change referred to as Global Warming.
The use of oil is environmentally unfriendly and poisonous to our air, water and land.
National Security – the countries that switch to renewable and sustainable energies first – will not be at the mercy of Northern Africa, the Middle East or Russia, for example.
State and local sources of wind, solar and similar power will create flexible communities that can withstand the vagaries of weather and economic fluctuations better. The grid may blackout, but the power generated from a building’s solar array can still keep the lights on.
The price of renewable energies will be steadier and less likely to fluctuate due to world events.
There are many ways to advance this goal of replacing the oil economy with first a hybrid oil/renewable economy and then a dominant renewable economy.
Solar Panels – The goal of a billion solar panels being in place within the next few years – as proposed by Secretary Clinton – will be a start. There are government buildings, school buildings and shopping center buildings, as well as homes and other building sites where such panels can be placed. The cost of these panels and their installation will most likely be handled through a mixture of Government direct spending, incentivized private spending and just it makes common sense for me to do it spending.
Electric Cars – as gas engine cars age and need to be replaced, the purchase of electric vehicles should be encouraged. The maybe done by a combination of incentives and the forces of the marketplace creating electric cars and trucks that are just better values. It should be noted that certain vehicles such as trucks used for hauling goods may need to be oil based for quite sometime to come.
Wind Farms and Large Scale Solar Plants – Today’s Energy Companies – those that provide electricity and those who provide coal and oil – may want to consider their long term futures and get involved in such projects. Due to their scale of size – greater attention to the environmental costs of such facilities must be taken into account and ongoing mitigation costs must be included in the overall costs of such projects.
Zoning Laws – Local zoning ordinances can be changed to require new buildings be green buildings. Such buildings must be more energy efficient naturally – taking advantage of local wind and sun conditions, for example. They may need to include actual gardens as well as internal ways to produce energy. The country of France has made such requirements and great smart buildings are the result.
No More Wars – The amount of oil in the world’s militaries is tremendous. Balancing “safety” and a “waste of resources” is a difficult problem. One whose most likely solution is to raise everyone’s standard of living. Pursuing diplomatic and economic goals where the poorest get richer and everyone else does better, too, may seem an unlikely possibility. But given the dire future that may lay ahead of us, it becomes a more reasonable course of action. And isn’t it our longest term goal for all of us to enjoy the ideals of living a life that allows both Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?
Additionally, the use of oil in the production of agriculture needs to be improved and replaced. I will let other experts figure that out. Additionally, we need to figure out how to make plastics, chemicals and similar products from other materials besides oil and coal. Again, I trust the intelligence of the human species to come up with creative solutions to these goals.
THE COST: This eventual change to a renewable dominant economy will be challenging and appear expensive. A new infrastructure will be needed. But much of the actual cost for this change will be covered by switching from one type of expense to another: the cost of fossil fuels versus the costs of renewables. Note that the underlying power source for solar and wind is the sun which provides FREE ENERGY everyday. Additionally, the costs of finding, removing, protecting and transporting oil will dwindle with its use and mitigate the expenses created by the change.
There will also need to be programs for retraining and supporting workers who must move from one type of job to another one. And we must be smart about mitigating and preventing environmental damages the new renewable technologies may create.
A couple of days ago, at a Democratic Party debate, a black reporter asked this question:
“What is your racial blind spot?”
That is a difficult question to answer – a minute is not long enough to truly answer, but this is my suggestion for an answer by Hillary Clinton. This answer is partly me and partly inspired by what I understand Sec. Clinton is all about. I believe that she would agree with this suggested answer – that a similar understanding, as expressed here, is found in her heart…
If I was Hillary Clinton, this is what I would have done and said when the questions was asked.
I would have moved from around the podium and taken a couple of steps toward the reporter and said:
“I see you.”
I then would have turned towards the audience and pointed towards individuals in the crowd, saying:
“I see you.” “I see you.” “I see you.”
Then returning back to the podium, I would continue speaking:
“I do not know what I do not see, but I can tell you this. Because of events that have occurred over the last year, my eyes are wider.
“Because of the sacrifice of many men and women over the last year, my eyes are wider.
“Because of the death of a man in New York selling cigarettes. Because of the murder of a young boy playing in the park. Because of the death of a black woman in a jail cell. Because of the murder of a young man just walking home from a 7-11 with a bag of skittles. And too many others, my eyes are wider.
“I know what it is like to be invisible. I have traveled to many places in this country and to many countries in this world where I, as a woman, would not have been seen or heard, if I did not carry the mantle of First Lady or Senator or Secretary of State.
“I have spent most of my life working so that people of color and women are visible and get the justice and opportunities they deserve.
“And I will continue to work on that goal of breaking those barriers, so that all of you, all of us, everyone, are seen, heard and acknowledged.”
This little answer could be greatly expanded – it indeed is only a part of the conversation about breaking down barriers – so that economic fairness, environmental viability and that all of us ( and all life on this planet) survives and thrives and that each individual reaches their fullest potential.
I have begun to notice during TV interviews and in Letters to the Editor that Republican spokespeople and their lackies are suggesting there is a set of Hillary Clinton lies out there or that she is not honest. But in none of the interviews or letters, have I discerned, any details or references to support their words – just those vague innuendos that “must be true” – “’cause I say so.”
Can anyone say smear campaign? The constant repetitions that Hillary has not answered for her lies or that Secretary Clinton is not honest is never supported with actual events or facts. Since Republicans know they cannot win on policy, talent, intelligence or experience when it comes to Hillary Clinton – they believe that their only options are to cheat and lie.
But could I be wrong… are there some lies or some area of dishonesty or cover up? Don’t think so, but let’s check.
Benghazi – there have been numerous Republican-led committees and reports looking at Sec. Clinton and her actions during the day and night of the Benghazi events. Millions have been spent to find out that basically everybody did their best, from the President and Secretary of State, the military and on the ground. Each new committee and report came to that same conclusion. Of course, in the last hearing, Sec. Clinton spent 11 hours showing how much smarter, tougher and better at her job she was than the men grilling her.
The sad fact is that the Ambassador made a mistake. He choose to stay in a less secure building, when a more secure location was available 30 miles away. The Ambassador and 3 fellow American paid for that decision, when the bad guys, through planning and luck, killed them. The best we can do to honor the fallen here, is to learn from the events – thus to better understand our enemies and to craft better solutions and policies for our foreign problems.
Changing Positions on Issues – Some cynics say that whenever a political leader changes their policy that we have been lied to. That maybe true some of the time, but one has to look at why a policy position was changed. It is also important to review an elected official’s or candidate’s actions, decisions and policies in general. To be fair in this situation, you have to read, listen and watch an actual person’s day to day public life and not come to a conclusion just because “Rush” or “Rachael” says it is so.
When it comes to voting for the Iraq War Authority which gave President Bush the Second the authority to act, she admits that it was a mistake. That seems honest to me. And let’s face it, giving permission to a President to do something, doesn’t mean that president has to make stupid decision afterwards… I have often wondered if President Bush the Second, is a prime example of “the dumbing down of America,” I often hear about.
Generally, having read, watched and listened, I have found that I agree with the majority of her decisions and policies – especially when it comes to women’s rights, the education of children, healthcare and the environment. And where she has changed her mind, it appears to be because of new information or hearing her constituent’s demands and, sometimes, because of political expediency. And that is the way democracies work – the alternative is to give make the Koch Brothers our overlords and dictators and never have a voice in our society again. I suggest, we do not let the Koch Bros. and their ilk buy up our government. We can start by freeing up the Republican Party from their evil clutches by overturning Citizens United. But I digress…
The Impeachment of Bill Clinton – I was around during the years when President Bill Clinton was impeached for his private sexual conduct. Some Hilary critics are suggesting today, that Mrs. Clinton may have covered up or lied for her husband. I did not see that.
Here is what I saw. I witnessed a wife who was honestly disappointed by her husband’s actions, but ultimately stood by her husband. I saw a woman who got through those relationship mistakes and re-created her relationship with her mate. She is not a woman who dwells on the past and plays the guilt game. I saw a First Lady that stood by the President and the United States. And I saw an American citizen brave great pressures and come out of them stronger and more determined to do what is right for all of us.
The bottom line here is this: A lot of mud has been thrown in the form of lies, innuendos and rumors at Hillary Clinton. Yet, she still stands tall and clean – because none of it is true.
