321 results for author: Phil Anderson
THANK A VETERAN WITH ACTION, NOT WORD
The theme of the Superior Fourth of July parade is “Thank a Veteran.” This is a nice sentiment. But the cliche “thank you for your service” is too often just a meaningless platitude. It is like saying “thank you for shopping at...” when the clerk couldn't care less. Along with “support the troops” bumper stickers, it is part of the propaganda that supports our too frequent wars. Real thanks must be more than words. Real thanks is doing what is right and needed for veterans and their families. It is working to make our country what it should be for everyone.
We don't think of the costs of war during the flag waving run up to starting ...
Wisconsin Civil Service Reform Is Ill Advised
Wisconsin's current administration was elected on an agenda of creating jobs, cutting taxes, and fixing the budgets shortfalls. They have failed to produce on all three points. Wisconsin is still lagging behind most other states in job creation. Tax cuts for most citizens have been zero or very small while fees have increased. The state budget is still a problem.
They have succeeded in creating an avalanche of ill-advised public policy changes which have nothing to do with their original goals. They began with turning down federal dollars for high speed rail and Medicare expansion and continued with restricting public employee collective bargaini...
Socialism in the U.S. Military
Calling your opponent a socialist is a favorite American political slur. The public has been programed to equate socialism, or any deviation from pure free market capitalism, with being un-American. The Constitution, however, does not say much about organizing the economy. Capitalism is not synonymous with freedom or democracy. It is entirely possible to have a socialistic, or even communistic, economy and a representative democracy.
Bernie Sanders is unique in openly claiming to be a democratic socialist. He does not intend, however, to change the structure of the economy. Rather he simply advocates making the economy work better by being more ...
Selective Memories
The good old days are the memories of things that never were. We remember what we want to and disregard the rest. Every Memorial Day, in our zeal to honor those who have served, we have a national picnic feast of selective memory about war.
Our government is engaged in selectively remembering the Vietnam War. The Department of Defense is spending $65 million in a project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war. It is all about “honoring” the troops. As President Obama stated,
“As we observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, we reflect with solemn reverence upon the valor of a generation that served with honor. We pay tribute ...
The Game is Rigged: Fighting the CAFO
The Bayfield County Board passed two local ordinances to regulate large factory farming. Some of the provisions exceed state requirements. But citizens opposing the proposed Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) still have the cards stacked against them. The new ordinances may be challenged in court. State law does not allow local governments to prohibit CAFOs. Local regulatory power through local ordinances is limited by state law. Citizen's ability to sue for damages is also limited.
The state regulatory system is largely skewed in favor of the industry. The “right to farm” laws and the state permitting laws do little to to protect the ...
CAFO Alternatives and Solutions
Huge factory farm operations called Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are growing in number. The advocates for CAFOs claim they are a necessary, more efficient way to produce cheap food. But is this true? Are there economical alternatives to industrial agriculture?
Opponents to CAFOs, backed up by a growing body of research, say there are better ways to economically raise meat. CAFOs are not the inevitable result of market forces. Alternative production methods can be economically efficient and technologically sophisticated, and can deliver abundant animal products while avoiding most of the problems caused by CAFOs
Are Factory ...
How Would You Spend $1 Trillion Dollars?
How Would You Spend $1 Trillion Dollars?
It is tax time again. Where do your taxes go? Would you rather see your tax dollars spent better? If you could be in charge, how would you spend $1 trillion?
Budgets are about choices. It is about choosing what you can do, or not do, with limited resources. Congress sets spending priorities each year in the Federal “discretionary” budget. They decide whether to spend more on education or tax breaks, cancer research or food stamps, space exploration or housing assistance, diplomacy or bombs.
The Federal budget is huge and complicated. The budget can be confusing because people are not ...
HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1 TRILLION?
If you could set the priorities, how would you spend the money? Look at current Federal budget priorities and vote for how you would prioritize funds.
UWS Outsourcing One Year Later
In May of 2014, the University of Wisconsin at Superior announced plans to outsource the campus custodians and grounds keepers as part of budget cutting plans. Throughout 2014 controversy raged about the necessity and wisdom of this action. In the end 27 people were laid off and their jobs were contracted out to a private, out-of-state company. What has been the impact of this action one year later? What happened to the laid off workers? What kind of jobs does the contractor offer? Did taxpayers save money? What has been the impact on Superior and the local economy?
What happened?
When UWS management announced the outsourcing, they ...
25 Years of Bombing Iraq
Sunday, January 17 marked 25 years of bombing people in Iraq. It should be obvious that bombing is not effective and is not the answer. It does not solve problems and it does not keep anyone “safe.” A quarter-century later war continues.
Bombing began in 1991 with the first Gulf War. It continued with a decade of a no fly zone. Then came the 2nd Gulf War from 2003 to 2011. The U.S. today is bombing Iraq and Syria in a vain effort to defeat ISIS.
At the same time we’ve created millions of refugees, sent billions of dollars in weapons to the region, and sabotaged peace-making opportunities by refusing to talk with all parties ...