321 results for author: Phil Anderson

Build Diplomacy Not Bombs

“Even though tiny – only 1 percent – the leverage that foreign aid exerts on behalf of U.S. security interests is incredible.” Lt. Gen. Dan Christman, U.S. Army retired. “...if you don’t fund the State Department fully then I need to buy more ammunition...” Gen James “Mad Dog” Mattis, Secretary of Defense, testifying as Commander of the Central Command in March 2013 before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Trump administration's budget plan calls for increasing military spending by $54 billion (about 10%). This will be “paid” for by cutting the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department and many domestic ...

SEND THEM BACK TO KINDERGARTEN

“They hurt people.” This was my friend's comment a few years ago about reactionary Republicans. My friend isn't a liberal activist. Although he votes, he isn't political or opinionated in any significant way. He is a small business owner, husband, and father busy supporting his family and being a good neighbor. But I was impressed with his simple, but accurate, summary of the impact of conservative ideology. I am reminded of John McCutcheon's song “The Kindergarten Wall.” This happy little song talks about what we all should have learned in kindergarten. Many Republicans could learn from it. The chorus says, Of all you learn here remember ...

Real Solutions for Budget Problems

The Wisconsin state budget is short-sighted with politically motivated band-aids being proposed. Real, long term, sustainable budget solutions are possible. Wisconsin doesn't have to go through these battles every two years. But this would require real leadership and a willingness to address the actual causes of the fiscal problems. For too many years the state budget problems have been kicked down the road by both parties. No one wants to address the simple fact that essential public services (sewers, water, law enforcement, courts, roads, schools, and necessary regulation of business, etc.) must be paid for. Costs of these necessary services ...

LIBERALS MADE AMERICA

“The two parties which divide the state, the party of Conservatism and that of Innovation, are very old and have disputed the possession of the world since it was made...” Ralph Waldo Emerson Liberalism provided the founding principles of the United States. Liberals are the folks that made America what it is today. Without the political and social activism of liberals in the past our lives would be very different... and not for the better. Liberalism has guided all the advances in American society since 1776. We should keep these facts in mind when reactionaries denigrate liberals, and liberal public policy, as un-American. Wisconsin ...

The Great Bamboozle Begins

If you read or listened to President Trump’s inaugural address you may have been surprised by what he had to say. At first blush it sounds progressive! He calls for returning power to the people. He says “a nation exists to serve its citizens.” He expresses concern for working people and calls for broadly sharing the wealth. “For too long, a small group in our nation's Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished -- but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered -- but the jobs left, and the factories closed” And he pledges to work for the benefit of all of ...

ON THE BOOKSHELF

(This article looks at World without Us by Alan Weisman) “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” E.O. Wilson, biologist and author “You share 25% of your genes with a banana. Get over yourself.” Bumper sticker Supposedly when asked what the study of nature told him about God, the biologist J. B. S. Haldane said, "The Creator must have an inordinate fondness for beetles. He made so many of them." Humans think we are the highest pinnacle of evolution (or God's ...

OLD FASHIONED AMERICA AND THE “WELL-BEING” STATE

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're misinformed.” Mark Twain This quip accurately describes the results of today's for-profit news media and cable TV. Americans are uniformed and misinformed on many topics. One example of misinformation is life in the “socialist” Scandinavian countries. The media portray them as welfare states that have nothing to teach us. These countries supposedly suffer from high taxes and oppressive bureaucracies that kill initiative, free enterprise, and personal freedom. A new book, “The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life” by Anu ...

Science Illiteracy and Public Policy

“Every shortcoming of American governance is related in some fashion to the knowledge deficit of the public...” Susan Jacoby, author of “The Age of American Unreason” Americans have a long tradition of anti-intellectualism. In today's politics this is expressed as denial of facts and scientific research in favor of opinion, self-righteousness, and prideful ignorance. We seem to be unable to distinguish documented knowledge from unsubstantiated opinion. Unfortunately for our public affairs, as Susan Jacoby says, our elected officials “suffer from the same intellectual blind spots as their constituents.” The complete control of ...

Scientific Ignorance in a High Tech World

“We exist in a bizarre combination of Stone Age emotions, medieval beliefs, and god-like technology.” Edward O. Wilson, author and biologist “The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” Neil DeGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist Our modern world is the result of a long history of scientific achievement. Our homes, workplaces, and communities are filled with technology created by scientific advances. We live longer, eat better, survive diseases, and have more comfortable lives because of science. Yet despite the fact that every aspect of our lives is affected by it, most of us are largely ignorant of ...

The Retirement Crisis

One of the annoying aspects of our broken electoral system is that issues of real importance are often ignored. Our elections are a money driven media circus of personal attacks, misleading sound bites, and ideological slogans. The real problems facing citizens and the country are not discussed in any rational, substantive way. Retirement security is one of these issues. Yes, there was some mention of Social Security in the last election. The misleading, party line talking points were reiterated during the “debates.” But the broader issue of retirement security for everyone was not addressed. Being able to retire with dignity and financial ...