Category: News and Politics
-
Boycott Sinclair in Pennsylvania
The Sinclair broadcasting network has raised the nation’s awareness of the risk of centralized media control. Fortunately we have no Sinclair stations in New Jersey, Delaware or eastern Pennsylvania – all areas that are known for higher levels of education and independent thinking. It would be more difficult for a manipulator to gain financial support…
-
What Does the Omnibus Spending Law Mean to Me?
It is not possible to analyze a massive 2,232 page $1.3 Trillion dollar federal law within a matter of hours after its passage. (This is a terrible way to handle major legislation, but that shame on Ryan and crew is a whole different topic). Yet this new federal spending bill is likely to have more…
-
Seven things you can do to help disarm the U.S.
It is possible to simultaneously support the 2nd amendment and disarmament. The world is changing at an increasing rate. This is called the “age of accelerations”. Unfortunately our government, our laws, and public attitude is not keeping pace with this rapid pace of change in a way that allows up to effectively process and deal…
-
2nd amendment repeal: political mission impossible
1) The US Constitution did not intend to protect the rights of mentally deranged individuals to own modern weapons with massive firepower. 2) The only possible way to effectively address gun violence is to repeal the second amendment. Anything else is a band-aid. 3) I have been a NRA member and gun owner but now…
-
The real obstacle to immigration reform
I was glad to see this ‘middle of the road’ balanced and non-political coverage of immigration reform in USAToday. “With no major reforms since 1986, our federal immigration laws must be updated. To enhance security, boost the economy, and deal fairly with immigrants seeking to build the American dream. For too long, Washington has avoided…
-
Why the tax law might not mean much to you (but a lot for the rich)
We now have the final details of the federal income tax bill published about 10 hours ago1. It seems natural for a tax geek like me to immediately calculate the effect the tax bill has on my family. My family is clearly in the ‘middle of the middle class’ by any measurement we may choose…
-
Collapse of the democratic rulemaking process
Never in our lifetime has the will of the people mattered less than this month. We know that over 75% of Americans oppose the tax bill being pushed by a small group of Republican oligarchs. Today the federal government repealed net neutrality rules that, as far as we can tell, is an action opposed by…
-
Respect for law / December 12, 2017
“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.” – this excerpt from Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham jail…
-
Two theories of government
“There are two ideas of government. There are those who believe that if you will only legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous their prosperity will leak through on those below. The Democratic idea, however, has been that if you legislate to make the masses prosperous their prosperity will find its way up through every class…
-
Remember this night!
Remember this night. Tonight all 52 Republican Senators voted against letting anyone read the new tax code with its many previously unknown special interest amendments crammed in at the last minute and then freshly marked up with handwritten changes added by lobbyists before they required a vote on it. Shocking but true. When the details…