Government
Abandonment and the Gerrymandering of Resentment
Anyone who’s paid attention knows that Wisconsin is a tightly gerrymandered state. The geopolitical scrabble of electoral districts enables the Republican Party to hold large majorities in both the Assembly and the Senate. Those majorities come from districts far more rural than urban. They’re also rather working class in cultural disposition.
There is a racial element in these gerrymandered districts—black and urban versus white and rural—but the racial thing is less endemic racist than it is a polarized absence of cultural interaction. The race thing is real, ...
JUST MONEY TWO
We are currently witnessing the final (now annual) arguments between members of congress and whoever is President, over the “debt ceiling.” As always, there is wringing of hands and the endless alarms about “mortgaging our grandchildren” regarding the “unsustainable” national debt. “Government spending needs to be cut” (except, of course, the military/industrial/congressional complex – unanimous bi-partisan support there). So, as always, the items on the chopping block are, unlike endless military spending, the things that actually defend average, working ...
Science
What is science? Science has become a segregated branch of knowledge practiced by those who apply its methods in a systematic way. In reality, we all practice science. It is our method of learning through trial and error. We see a problem, devise a way to solve it, and try various techniques to come to a successful solution. The universe was created by bringing order to the chaos that proceeded it. That order is understandable by humans who have developed critical faculties to pose questions, propose answers and test results. People who are specialized in this ...
Madison Action Day
Many of us from the Wausau area attended Madison Action Day on April 27. We were in full force with many other WISDOM affiliates throughout the state. Thank you to Ron Alexander and NAOMI for providing bus transportation. We heard from many speakers, we watched a Drum Circle and a stellar performance from the Raging Grannies. In the afternoon we met with our elected officials to talk about issues we care about and that affect all of us! The following is a few of the issues in the state budget:
Restoring driver's licenses for all Wisconsinites
Accepting the ...
JUST MONEY ONE
We are once again watching the complete ignorance – and yes, it is ignorance – of our legislators arguing over the national “debt Ceiling.” Forgive the harsh words, but this misguided foolishness hurts people. It hurts the nation. Every time we witness this self-destructive nonsense, one cannot help but wonder - - -
Why don’t Americans ask some obvious questions? How can there even be a national debt? The Federal Government is the Constitutionally authorized creator and supplier of the nation’s money. Who are we borrowing our own money from, and why are we ...
Manufacturing Enemies
“Once weapons were manufactured to fight wars. Now wars are manufactured to sell weapons.” Arundhati Roy, novelists, human rights and environmental activist.
In order to manufacture wars one must also manufacture enemies. Over the years, our government has been remarkably prolific at manufacturing enemies. Most of these alleged enemies were not a threat to our “national security” in any significant way. Most of these enemies did not have the military, economic or logistical capacity to be a serious threat to anyone. But these enemies did provide the excuse for ...
SEEMS OBVIOUS PART TWO
Still alive! So, a quick review from Part One. The BBP (Brilliant Batch of Politicians) is once again conducting the PCC (the Parade, the Charade, of Charlatans), threatening to shut the US Government down over the “debt ceiling.”
But we know Article I, Section 8, Clause 5 of the US Constitution says:
[The Congress shall have Power] To coin Money and regulate the Value thereof
So, we know the US Government is the creator, the source, of the nation’s money. We know the US Government always has money of its own (for Heaven’s sake it creates the money). We ...
SEEMS OBVIOUS – PART ONE
We once again witness the “Parade, the Charade, of Charlatans” (the PCC). Another “Brilliant Batch of Politicians” (the BBP) threaten to shut the US Government down over the “debt ceiling.” “America has overspent! Something must be cut!”
The next paragraph is technical. Try to stay awake. This has a huge impact on your life, whether you know it or not.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 5 of the US Constitution says:
[The Congress shall have the Power] To coin Money and regulate the Value thereof
In other words – the US Government is the creator, ...
Gun Violence Needs Action Not Prayers
“There is something deeply hypocritical about praying for a problem you are unwilling to resolve.” These are the words of Miroslav Volf, a protestant theologian. This applies to the recent shooting of two police officers from Cameron and Chetek. Tragically both were killed in a shootout following a traffic stop.
It is “deeply hypocritical” to lament the death of these officers (or the tens-of-thousands of gun deaths each year) when we are “unwilling to resolve” the problem of gun violence.
The shooter was wanted for not paying child support. He ...
THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LIES
History matters.
In 2018 the Washington Post and New York Times were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on the alleged interference by Russia in the 2016 Clinton/Trump presidential election. On February 20, 2022 the Editorial Board of the New York Post published an article titled: “The Absurd ‘Russiagate’ Pulitzer of the NY Times and Washington Post.” Opening lines from that article:
“For deeply sourced, relentlessly reported coverage in the public interest,” the citation from the Pulitzer Prize board begins, “that dramatically furthered the ...