Politics
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 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, ...
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 ...
No Limits on Craziness
The divisive, destructive culture wars of right wing extremists is increasingly bizarre. Their social and legislative agenda has moved way beyond past conservative, pro-business, patriarchal control. It is no longer about small government, low taxes, unregulated free markets, militarism and anti-communism Their agenda has become completely crazy.
The right wing plutocracy (Koch brothers, et.al.) started all these culture wars as a divide and conquer tactic. It served their political agenda to divide liberal from conservative, black from white, immigrant from ...
Ruminations on the Wisconsin Election
The April 4th Wisconsin election was a huge victory for progressives. Judge Janet Protasiewicz soundly trounced the conservative candidate by an 11% margin. This overwhelming victory will have a major positive impact on Wisconsin.
The court is now controlled by judges whose rulings will be guided by seeking justice within the law. The highly partisan rulings of the past 15 years will end. The ridiculous notion that judicial rulings on social issues must adhere to the “original intent” of earlier racists and misogynists will no longer limit progress. It will now be ...
Ballot Initiatives: Wisconsin April 4 Election
The Wisconsin election coming up on April 4th is important for the Supreme Court race. Literally what kind of society Wisconsin will be is at stake. Will we return our progressive roots or continue undemocratic and uncivil the politics of the lat 14 years?
But there are also three other items on the ballot that voters need to know about. The first and second are proposed constitutional amendments regarding cash bail. The third is an advisory referendum asking the public's opinion on work requirements for public assistance programs.
Why are these topics on the ballot? ...
FOR HUMANITY’S SAKE – SEE THE OBVIOUS
When the United States places missiles on Russia’s borders that can incinerate Moscow and St. Petersburg in 5-7 minutes, and Russia does not place any missiles near US borders, it is the United States that is being “aggressive.” Not Russia. This is obvious. But the Orwellian message that has been foisted on Americans by all major media for years has been: “Russian aggression!” “Russian aggression!” “Putin is a monster!”
When the United States spends $5 billion in 2014 to orchestrate a violent coup in Ukraine to overthrow the democratically elected ...
Shameless
A peculiar thing about gerrymandering is its shamelessness. Its shamelessness is underrecognized and underappreciated in the sense of refusing to see itself for what it is, how proud it is of its morality. Its very morality exudes shamelessness.
But how did shamelessness get to be so moral?
Gerrymandering is inherently undemocratic. It stacks the electoral deck. Wisconsin is so thoroughly stacked as to be a scientific experiment in political engineering.
What can possibly justify a deliberately imposed constriction of a more inclusive and participatory democracy...
Freedom Is On The Ballot
“Whoever wins this election will determine whether our freedoms expand in Wisconsin, or whether our freedoms shrink in Wisconsin.” Matthew Rothschild, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
“The Wisconsin Supreme Court spent its 2021–22 term systematically weakening our democracy...[with rulings] that had dramatic implications for how our vote counts and how our government works.” Law Forward, in a November 2022 report.
Who wins the the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 4 will determine the ideological direction of the court for years to come. Whether the ...
Republican’s Flat Tax Nothing but a Boondoggle for the Rich
Wisconsin’s Republican leaders just can’t help themselves.
In November voters rejected a flat income tax when its proponent, Tim Michels, lost to Gov. Tony Evers. However, schemes to make the rich richer are the GOP’s trademark, so now Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu has proposed eliminating the state’s mildly progressive income tax and replacing it with a 3.25% flat tax by 2026.
No matter how they try to package it, the flat tax would accomplish only two things: drastically deteriorate our quality of life in Wisconsin and, yes, provide a windfall ...