334 results for author: Phil Anderson

Impeachment Is the Only Answer

There is no doubt that we are in the midst of an authoritarian takeover of our country. Trump said he would be a “dictator on day one” and he meant it. All his actions since taking office have been intended to seize unlimited presidential power.   In 2017, we hoped that Trumpism was a fluke and would self-destruct. We hoped his ignorance, incompetence and harmful policies would turn even conservative Republicans against him. But 2024 proved this notion wrong. We can no longer hope that “this too shall pass.”   “What is happening now is not normal politics. We’re seeing an assault on the fundamental institutions of our ...

Wisconsin’s 7th CD Primary Candidates

Last week I wrote about the primary election for Wisconsin's next governor. This week I discuss the candidates running for the 7th Congressional district.   But first a comment on the media and the Wisconsin governors race. The media is repeating the false narrative that with five candidates the Democrats are divided and the Republicans are united behind one candidate. The truth is the Democrats are engaged in a democratic primary election where the voters decide the final candidate. The Republicans had four candidates until the “great leader” chose (endorsed) Tiffany. Two candidates immediately dropped out and the third has zero chance ...

Questioning Patriotism

Repetition is essential for learning. It is also a way to manipulate and control people's thinking.  Advertisers bombard people with frequent messages to get them to buy stuff. Dictators repeat the “big lie” until it becomes accepted as truth.   This article is an updated repeat from the past. Hopefully, people will learn and think more deeply about messaging on patriotic holidays. What is the purpose of the ubiquitous flag waving and platitudes that pass for pride in our country?   “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.” George Bernard Shaw   ...

Making America Good

  “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Howard Zinn (1922 – 2010), historian and peace activist.   “Patriotism is, fundamentally, a conviction that a particular country is the best in the world because you were born in it....” George Bernard Shaw (1856 -1950), Irish playwright and political activist.   Around the 4th of July there is a lot of pontificating about patriotism. Why is patriotism considered the ultimate virtue? Seems to me there are many values more important to people than patriotism.   I have been thinking about the “We Believe” yard signs that have become popular. These signs ...

The Art of The Bad Deal

“He's all hat and no cattle" is a quip Jim Hightower uses to describe feckless, blowhard politicians. Google AI says this old Texas colloquialism means someone who “talks a big game, acts showy, or makes grand promises, but lacks the actual substance, wealth, or capability to back it up.” Donald Trump's foreign policy, especially with the Iran war, is all bluster and bluff with no substance or positive results. He is all hat and mouth but no cattle. The U.S. and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allegedly end the war. But this is not a peace treaty. It is a 60-day extension of the already existing ceasefire (which ...

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates

August 11th is the Partisan Primary in Wisconsin. Currently there are five Democratic and two Republican candidates for governor. On the Republican side Trump endorsed Rep. Tom Tiffany will be the candidate in November. His 27-year-old opponent has no chance. The Democratic contest has no clear leader, but who wins will be extremely important for Wisconsin.   In this article I provide some thoughts and information to help people make their decision for a Democratic candidate.   All the Democratic candidates have similar positions the issues and good plans for governing. All are talking about the real problems that need to be ...

Telling the Truth About History

“Nations reel and stagger on their way; they make hideous mistakes; they commit frightful wrongs; they do great and beautiful things. And shall we not best guide humanity by telling the truth about all this...?” W.E.B. Du Bois writing in 1935. “We will stop the radical indoctrination of our students and restore patriotic education to our schools. We will teach our children to love our country, honor our history, and always respect our great American flag...We must clear away the twisted web of lies in our schools and our classrooms, and teach our children the magnificent truth about our country.” Trump speaking at a campaign rally in ...

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

“How have you, your family or your community been impacted by war.” This was the question Veterans for Peace and Northland Grandmothers for Peace asked the public on Memorial Day.* They gathered 175 statements. Most of the responses discussed the loss or suffering of a family member. Some were about war diverting resources from important human needs. Some expressed pride in military service and said war was necessary to protect the country. Some feel complicit in the immorality of war and a personal need to work for peace. Here are some of the anonymous, unedited statements (with no comment) selected for a variety of viewpoints. “The ...

Cruelty is Not an American Value

Cruelty is not an American value nor should it be a deliberate policy of our nation. But what the Trump administration is doing in Cuba is simply cruel. As a nation we should be ashamed. Cuba is a small, poor nation that has no capacity to harm the U.S. and represents zero threat to our national security. Yet for 66 years Cuba has been the target of crippling economic sanctions and multiple attempts at “regime change.” Why? Plucky little Cuba had the unmitigated gall to be an openly socialist country, 90 miles from the “leader of the free world” in the Caribbean Sea otherwise known as the “America's Lake.” Under Trump the sancti...

War Spending in Perspective

We all know federal spending on war and preparation for war – what we euphemistically call “defense” spending – is huge. But most people have no understanding of how big these numbers are, how they compare with other government spending, and what it all means for their lives. People might understand $100,000 because that is about the median family income in the U.S. (which means half of families live on less). An average house costs around $400,000. But $7,400,000,000,000 – the total federal budget for FY 2026 – is just a big, incomprehensible number. Understanding government spending is difficult because of its complexity. Spending ...