Category: My Bad Opinions

Foreign Affairs Article – Misses The Bigger Issue

I’m not trying to claim I’m some kind of fancy intellectual, but I do read Foreign Affairs magazine.  I have an online subscription and an app on my iPhone.  There was an essay in the March / April 2017 combined issue titled, “How America Lost Faith in Expertise” by Tom Nicoles.  I have never heard of Tom Nicoles but apparently he works for the government is some capacity.  He tells as story of a poll in 2014, following the Russian invasion of Crimea.  The Washington Post put it out.  In brief, it asked Americans if the US should jump into the fight and assist the Ukraine.  Less than 20% of the people could even point to the Ukraine on a map.  Full disclosure, neither can I.  People who thought the Ukraine was in South America or Australia were very gung-ho about our intervention. 

So, is it complete apathy about world events; is it CNN’s and FoxNew’s move from real international news to be a bunch of talking heads; is it laziness?  No, it’s a lack of quality education.  Why is the rest of the world so “fluent” in our history and current events and I can’t even name the President (I don’t even know if it is a “president” or prime minister or queen) of Canada??

If we really want to make a difference to our children or our local community or even to our country, we have to start paying attention to the degrading of our educational systems.  Disclosure item 2, I think it is a purposeful way of dumbing down the country’s work force to control wages, benefits, and even lifestyle.

So, go study a map.

 

 

ALL THE SIGNS ARE THERE – But No One’s Reading Them

There is a great debate between those who believe is isolationism (full disclosure – I am one) and those who readily point out the weakness in such a position.

Perhaps we should start out with what my definition of “isolationism” is.  1. No foreign aid.  Keep OUR money here for our education; health; infrastructure; lowering the “debt”; 2. Forcing AMERICAN companies to build IN AMERICA to maintain our ability to manufacture things and benefit the workforce. Consider our manufacturing might in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  We could convert any factory to manufacture goods to protect ourselves militarily.  We can no longer do that.  3. Stay out of other countries “business” – as cruel as this sounds, if they want to kill each other, let them.  It is unacceptable for our kids to fight and die in another country because of that country’s internal strife.  4. Create a balanced immigration policy that lets in all whom desire to be here under strict guidelines.

Now, how immature is that.  But I’m not the only one who feels that way.

Fast forward to where we are now.  There are signs that our country is going the way of Rome regarding the horrendous nature of our politics and culture and, get this, of USSR.    If you were to consider USSR’s fall from being a world power in the 80’s, you would see some similarities to our country: 1. a corrupt political system; 2. massive foreign financial aid with little to no return on investment; 3. sticking their nose in other country’s “business” in the name of keeping out Colonial Americanism yet not being able to provide that country with anything but rigged elections and military might to keep those who “loved the USSR” in power; 4. a country where nothing was really manufactured and anything that was manufactured there was garbage quality (I should say, most of the items manufactured in the U.S. are of high quality); 5. leaders who were not respected on the international stage; 6. a weakened military from lack of financial support.

Hmmm.

As of today, China has 1 aircraft carrier.  The United States has 12.  China was been, for the last decade at least, establishing a pattern of “investing” in other countries, getting them “hooked” on the cheap labor and cost of manufacturing in China, having their citizens relocate to those countries, and then engage in interventionist policies when its citizens were “threatened” abroad.  China today is like colonial England of the 1700 and 1800s.  It takes natural resources from a country, brings it back to China, and then sells the finished goods back to the originating country.  All at a great profit.  Reinvesting in itself and building up a massive military complex.  But for the fact that China does not have a navy strong enough to enforce its will around the globe, there would be a Chinese flag flying around the world as did British flags in the 1700 and 1800s.

China is now taking it one step further.  Its foreign citizens are now digging deep into the local populace, especially in politics, and then acting almost like spies for the Chinese.  Consider Yang Jian, a politician in New Zealand with obvious pro-Beijing positions, for odd ties to the Chinese military and intelligence services, and Chinese donations to his political party.  Australia is experiencing a similar phenomena.

So, what does all the above have to do with isolationism and reading the signs?  We have to get better at “spending our money”.  If we’re going to invest in a country, it can’t be with the blood and sweat of American soldiers, the expenditure of our military supplies, and the financial “aid” given to administrations that simply pocket the money and do nothing in return.  We have to get a little more selfish and examine “what’s in it for us” before we start throwing our money and kids around.  We have to start contracting a little, consolidating a little, concentrating on ourselves first.  How can we go out in the world and solve everyone else’s problems when we are barely taking care of ourselves.

Maybe I’m the only one who sees this.

Maybe I’m just very ill informed.

 

 

 

Middle Class, That’s Us, Under Seige

New Yorkers have a critical vote this coming Nov. 7th.  You MUST vote no and save pensions.  I don’t care how right wing, Republican, fiscal conservative you allege to be.  Pensions are something fought for, literally, with bloodied noses and broken bones and now, once again, the rich are trying to take something away from the working folks.

This, by odd coincidence, goes hand in hand with the Fake President’s bullshit tax reform that will give tax breaks to the rich and big business.  And, how is he going to pay for these tax breaks, by taking away the middle class deduction on 401(k)s.

I do fear a war is coming.  It’s going to be ugly.

Trump Set the Tone for This

For as much as people didn’t like George Jr., not even the news media was blatantly disrespectful. Sure everyone made fun of him, considered him stupid and just some rich kid out of touch with middle class reality, but I can’t recall things like this happening.

Trump’s lack of respect for most everyone, unprofessionalism, lack of statesmanship, inability to treat anyone with dignity, not to mention his outright contempt – for anyone who doesn’t treat him like a kind has created this atmosphere.

He has made this type of behavior alright. Bullies are back on the rise, people have a sense of “fuck you – I’ll do whatever I want, and the lack of common courtesy for our fellow citizen is, well, more common.

But at the end of the day it’s not alright. We need a statesman back in office. Someone we can look up to. Someone we can respect. Someone we can all get behind and be proud to call our leader. And until we do, there will be a lot more of this.

What Are We Missing

I believe any good far left wing liberal, anarchist, socialist, communist, etc could make a strong argument that the reason why Republicans, well – rich conservatives anyway, continue to deplete budget funds for education is to dumb down the middle class and move it into the “working slave class” of uneducated, unskilled workforce.  Thus, enabling them to continually take away worker’s rights, worker’s safety, and worker’s pay and enrich themselves.

 

One would have to wonder what the motive is of the rich Republican donors behind wanting to repeal the AFFORDABLE Care Act?  Now, I’m not indicating the ACA is without need for improvement.  There are many things that need to be changed.  This first is to really make this a free market system where all health care insurers can offer their policies in all states.  This would drive down costs and increase the quality of the policies due to a true competitive market place.

 

So, what is it?  Do the far right conservative, bible belt, wealthy Republicans really hate Obama so much that they’ll do anything to chip away at his Presidential Legacy?  That CAN’T be it.  It has to be something else.  Again, what is it?  (Spoiler alert, its what its always about, money.)

 

If you were to research via Yahoo or Google you’ll find the following:

  1. It was about $1.8 trillion estimate in new health care spending and allegations that Medicare and Medicaid funding would have to be cut. This would exposure the elderly to an inability to afford health care.  COMMENT: considering the law has been in place long enough to evaluate this claim, it is clear it is not true.  Further my argument above is that all you have to do is open the market to drive down costs further.
  2. Millions would lose coverage. COMMENT: Oddly, this had some sway to it, especially in California.  And certainly there were huge computer gaffs in trying to get people signed on but this argument turned out to be baseless as well.
  3. We wouldn’t be able to keep our doctors as the exchanges would narrow the number of doctors they had to deal with. COMMENT: this is a free market issue.  Under the current system the market is limited to a certain number of providers thus they have to control costs by cutting back services.  See my free market argument above.
  4. The law increases the cost of health care coverage. COMMENT: That’s just a bullshit argument from the first word.  Everyone who gets health care from his employer sees the yearly contribution from the employer decreasing and the employee payment per month increasing.  See my free market argument above.  Also, employees need unions and collective bargaining negotiators.  BRING BACK THE UNIONS.
  5. The law created fines and penalties if you don’t have coverage. COMMENT: I agree with that one.  I never really understood that one.  If you are either poor or working at minimum wage and can’t afford the health care costs, how can you afford fines and penalties.
  6. The enrollment process is a wreck. COMMENT: If we had free health care for all American tax payers and their blood relative dependents, we would all be enrolled – FOR FREE.

 

  1. Super rich families would enjoy a nice tax cut if the act is repealed. COMMENT: Ah, so this is what it is really all about.  Why am I not surprised Trump and the super rich are so hot on repealing the act.  Because for the act and for my ultimate solution discussed below to work, the super rich might have to pay more in taxes or they won’t be able to write off their yacht expenses and golf memberships.  It’s all about the continued enrichment of the rich at the expense of the middle class and working poor.  Oddly, I find some of my fellow middle class Republicans in favor of the repeal.  It shocks me as to why this can possibly be.

 

So, what’s my overall answer.  Indeed – REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND MAKE HEALTH CARE FREE IN THE UNITED STATES like they do in Canada, England, and Europe.  Why is American the only advanced civilized country without free health care (unless you’re a Senator, member of Congress, or President)?  And, don’t get me started on free education!!

US Accounting Office States FEMA is Almost Out of Money – Let’s Review

FEMA’s 2013 budget was $13,559,716,000.  So, for the sake of argument, let’s say the 2017 budget is $15,000,000,000.  $15B almost absorbed through August 2017 with Hurricane Harvey not helping any.

FEMA is an agency to assist the American Tax Payer during time of crises.  Funded by the tax payers for the benefit of the tax payers.  It should not have a budget, it should not have a ceiling, cap, or anything else that monetarily restricts the provision of aid to American citizens in their time of need.

Now, there are those ultra right wing conservative nuts who will proclaim this is an “entitlement” program (until their state got hit with a hurricane and now they’re first in line for recovery benefits) but we all know it is not.

I get the concept that every line item needs a budget constraint.  So, where will this money come from?  Hmmm, anyone?  Anyone have any idea?  Don’t make me say it !!! Ok. I guess I have to say it….. how about taking it out of the budget for FOREIGN AID????!!!!  That’s right, the countries and citizens of those countries who have never contributed anything to American society except for mentions on a line item budget in the foreign aid category.

FEMA should not be running out of money.  Foreign aid needs to be running out of money.

And, here comes Hurricane Irma.  Oh, but don’t worry, all those countries receiving our foreign aid are just lining up to help us in our time of need.  NOT.

 

Watching the Conservative Hypocrites in Texas This Weekend

Hurricane Harvey, a category III hurricane, is about to slam into south eastern Texas.  It’s more severe than any Texans thought it would be.  Harvey will then stall for several days and this will lead to catastrophic flooding in parts of Texas.

Having lived on Long Island for 41 years, I know how scary and dangerous this is going to be.  My heart goes out to the few who may lose their lives and to the many will be suffering catastrophic personal property and real property losses.

I recall that Texas has hundreds of thousands if not millions ulta right wing conservatives who don’t believe in social welfare.  They refer to those benefits as entitlements and they are against them because their hard earned tax dollars go to support those less fortunate.

So, I expect that not one of these people will be asking for nor accepting a penny of financial aid the federal government will ultimately release so they can rebuild their lives.

Oh, but wait, they say.  This is different.

Indeed, the only difference is before you didn’t want your tax dollars going to help anyone else.  Now, it’s ok because its everyone else’s tax dollars going to help you.

 

Please Don’t Prosecute

While we’ve all been distracted by the recent Trump ravings and white suprematist rallies, we’ve forgotten about the “Russia thing”. But, Robert Muller hasn’t and he is forging ahead.

If he has enough evidence against Trump senior, which, frankly, I don’t think he ever will, he should provide that to Congress and the Senate to initiate articles of impeachment. (I admit, I have no idea how that goes down.) Trump can’t pardon himself from impeachment.

But, he can pardon his son if charges are brought and he is tried and convicted.

So, when enough evidence is gathered to charge Junior PLEASE don’t do it until 12:06pm of the next swearing in ceremony.