On this day in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law a new tax law to help fund the United States government during the Civil War. Far more than writing a traditional revenue act to address the catastrophic war that had demonstrated its horrors just two weeks earlier at the Battle of Bull Run, Congress deliberately constructed the law to shift ownership of the American government away from the bankers who had previously provided Treasury funds, to the American people.
A progressive tax seems to be the answer to many problems. In the 50s we were a prosperous nation with a growing middle class and a 90% top bracket. Why not go back to what worked? This Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln. They abandoned that a long time ago, and with it they abandoned the American people.
They have abandoned the idea of a democracy totally and thanks to death star, have crawled out from under the rocks to say and do heinous things. There seems to be a contest for who can be the most unfeeling and monstrous. I did laugh at an article about The Cracker Barrel adding a non meat option. Now they are "woke" according to the dimwits who love their biscuits and gravy, greasy breakfasts, fried foods, etc. and who wonder why they have health problems. I mean, don't order it. Full disclosure, I do eat meat, but buy it locally from small farmers for the most part. I grew up the midwest where quantity seems to trump quality for many people.
OMG, the Cracker Barrel Scandal! I laughed so hard I cried! Full disclosure: I love biscuits and gravy; my husband makes 99.9% of the sausage we eat, from scratch, and I make the biscuits.
I knew someone here would love biscuits and gravy....I don't think I have ever had that. I do love pancakes, bacon and eggs, etc. I like the idea of home made sausage too and I do love biscuits, but seldom bake. We have a booth here at the Saturday Market called Scratch Meats (I think that's what it called). They make wonderful sausage and we have some in the freezer. I bet your biscuits and gravy is far superior to Cracker Barrel biscuits and gravy. I did grow up with creamed chipped beef on toast which was a regular item at our house.
Until I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and had my come to Jesus moment, I loved that breakfast concoction too. Then at sixty-eight years old, I had few options, so we changed our nutritional underpinnings and became non-animal protein vegans. It was quite an adjustment for two meat and spuds eating Irish folk. We lost a lot of excess fat weight, lower all the lipid level bio-markers and changed our behavior about eating anything with a face! I still eventually had to get the quintuple coronary bypass surgery so that I wouldn’t die from CAD, but I believe the conversion saved my life - seven years ago.
I stopped eating garbage 20 years ago. Had my annual physical the end of June. Blood glucose 80; cholesterol 155; BP 120/65; weight 5lbs more than age 18 (a loooong time ago); PSA 0.95 (down from 6.9 when I started treatment back in 2007. Since I didn't get mauled by a bear like my sixth great grandfather, or stick a piece of uranium in the front pocket of my work pants for a week like my father, the chances are excellent I will live into my 90s with "all systems go" like the other six generations of males in my line I have records on.
I only wish all the MAGAts would have their massive fatal myocardial infarctions sooner than later and Make America Great Again - permanently.
Great numbers! I was actually thinking of some of relatives in the midwest when I made that comment. Some of them are grossly overweight. My niece posts pictures of food items that look like a heart attack waiting to happen. One of my nephews already had one that almost killed him, but still smokes as far as I can tell. He is thin, but not because he eats well.
Several years ago my brother-in-law suffered a heart attack. He was in his early forties, I think. So he was put on a strict diet by his doctors, which kept him out of "trouble." Sitting at a restaurant one day, a couple of us ordered steak with all the fixins', someone else ordered fried chicken, still another a big ol' juicy hamburger w/ fries. My brother-in-law ordered skinless baked chicken with broccoli, and lemon on the side. After our server left the table, there was a slight lull in the conversation. I looked over at my brother-in-law and said, "You sure are gonna miss us when we're gone!"
Here's hoping Cracker Barrel gains many more diners to replace the un-woke crowd!
Congrats to you JPD!!! This Nurse Practitioner is proud of you both!!
Kudo's!! Used to work in an open-heart unit in California and I appreciate what you went through, being on the other end. CABG has come a long way since those days with stents, etc. Keep up the good work.
J.P. - I just started reading a book by Mark Bittman called VB6- Vegan Before Six. He champions a vegan diet for breakfast and lunch and then allows meat at dinner.
He includes lots on info on the benefits of veganism from personal health to planetary health. What I really like is that he has a lot of quick and easy recipes and tips on making things in bulk, plus creative ways to use leftovers.
Sharon, interesting book. I just downloaded it and started skimming it. One of the things I've eaten all my life, and am glad to see Bittman mention, is savory cooked cereals rather than sweet (I personally have never liked sweet cereals cooked or otherwise). Even as a kid I would put butter and pepper on hot cereal and leave the brown sugar or maple syrup to my siblings.
This is true for many people, so it makes sense for a restaurant to offer a non-meat option. We don't load up on meat and do veg options often. My LMT fishes and we often have bounty of the sea from him. This week we had no meat, but some dairy. Since my spouse also has a heart condition and had quad bypass surgery among other things a few years ago, I do most of our cooking from scratch and do not add salt unless I happen to bake which is rare.
Wish I had become a vegetarian many years ago. I sort of did since I don’t like meat, but had to cook it for meat-eating man. Hubby and I could share one meal often, Jack Sprat style
in which he tells the story of his purchase of a steer who was destined for slaughter in the meat industry. His purpose in buying the steer was journalistic: he wanted to see first hand what the meat industry was like. After reading the article, I decided not to eat red meat or pork (generally not a part of my diet anyway) any more, and have mostly stuck to that decision ever since. Both the animals and I are happier for it. The only time I eat beef is if it is served when I am invited for a meal. I do eat poultry and fish. As a consequence, when, a few years later I had a carotid artery ultrasound because of a swelling on my neck, the technologist said I had the carotids of a 30-year-old (I was 69 at the time). Unfortunately I had thyroid cancer, which was treated by surgery, and here I am many years later, still apparently healthy. A come to Jesus moment indeed.
My moment was a little more personal. I was with a friend and his 6-year old son out at the Chino airshow, back in the days when the airport was still surrounded by dairy farms. We were leaving and the boy saw a corral with cows in it and wanted to see them, so his dad drove over and we got out and went to the corral. The cows were all on the far side of the corral, but when we showed up first one and then another until finally all of them came over to check us out. My friend told his son it was because they thought we would feed them. But it suddenly struck me that they did that because they were curious. And curiosity is a sign of intelligence. And with that realization, after thinking about it for a week, I changed my diet. My doctor told me when I did my last annual physical that a 50 year old would be happy to have my stats.
So, so glad to hear this! And, think of all the good you are doing to combat climate change! Yes, I was a devotee of Cracker Barrell and Bob Evans (bring on the Sunrise Skillet!!), until my medical records listed me as obese....so, I commend you !
My dad loved Sh*t on a Shingle (WWII vet). To this day I'll make it one in a while as a comfort food treat, though I fancy mine tastes a bit better than was served in the army.
A. nice beef/lamb/feral pig stew on toast - fantastic! - we do demean great delights with shitty names ... SPAM SPAM SPAM and eggs with SPAM. (no, I don't much like spam).
Yes, I am aware of the alternate name. I grew up late 40s and 50s, so it was common fare. I heard the name from people who served in the military which my father did not do. His job was classified as essential to the war effort....the place made shell casings.
OMG, creamed chip beef on toast. We had that a lot when I was a kid too! I loved that. Just so you know, I only make biscuits and gravy a couple times a year and always with sliced tomatoes on the side.
I think I loved it too, but have never fixed it or had it since. People of a certain age had this experience. We have had a couple BLTs this summer after tomatoes became ripe. Mine are taking their time, but I am about to make ratatouille with garden produce that I have picked. No meat in that and I will freeze it for later when it is cooler.
BLTs fresh from the garden, nothing finer. We were the children of depression babies. A little tiny bit of meat stretched with a gravy would fill a lot of bellies. My grandparents passed their thrifty ways onto my parents.
Yes, Daria, when I was a kid we had chipped beef on toast for dinner often. I loved it, and imagine I might still. But I'm not about to test that idea. 🤣
My college job was serving food in a women's dorm (where I also lived). Believe me, SOS was not a popular item on the menu, though I'm sure the finance office liked it--very, very inexpensive dish! I don't think I've eaten it since then.
Ok- I gotta get in on the biscuit conversation! If you think Cracker Barrel biscuits are biscuits, then you’ve never had biscuits! Biscuits should be tall and fluffy on the inside, lightly brown and tender- crisp on the outside. When ever I have had them at CB they are flat and undercooked- mushy on the inside. I vowed off CB 10 years ago. Being woke won’t even bring me back! Lol!!
Oops sorry - weren’t we talking about the history of taxation and the amazing week Biden has had??
Comfort food at its best. Warm fresh-from-the-oven biscuits! All you need is a little butter and jam or honey. Biscuits will keep for...well, never mind. You won’t have to worry about that.
* 6 T very cold butter, grated
* 2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour (don't use self-rising flour)
* 1 t salt
* 2 t baking powder
* 1 c buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450.
1. After grating the butter, place in the freezer to keep cool.
2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and whisk together well.
3. Get butter from the freezer stir in a bit at a time until incorporated. 4.
4. Make a well in the center and add buttermilk. Stir until just combined, it will look wet at this point but don’t over-mix.
5. Dump onto a well-floured surface and gently flatten and fold 5 or 6 times. The folding is what gives you a flaky biscuit. Use more flour if it starts getting sticky, but don’t ever do-it (you’ll learn with practice just how much flour to use)
6. Gently roll out about 3/4” thick and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Gather dough and gently roll out and cut out more biscuits.
7. Place in a pan or a cast-iron skillet with sides of biscuits touching.
8. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
King Arthur Flour and Sally's Baking Addiction both have good biscuit recipes. I've used both and mix white and whole wheat flour 50/50. Have fun, it's a great way to celebrate a great week for both the President and the country.
S*** on a Shingle is the beef equivalent of Biscuits and gravy which, for the record, I like too. Local sourced is the way to go and it's often sustainably produced and organic just without the expensive certification.
Agree, locally sourced is best. We use primarily locally sourced meat. We grind our own beef for hamburger, make all of our own sausage. We don't put any preservatives or additives in what we make, so we're not earing someone else's mystery concoction. We make our own pastas and breads as well.
Kudos. I have never made pasta, but used to make bread. We just stood in line for the local bakery (Albany OR) which does fine bread. Market opens at nine. We were there at 8 and the line was already curling around to the next aisle. Picked up some veggies and fruit too.
That's awesome. I haven't tried pasta yet but have been baking my own bread for years. I've ground beef from time to time and like being able to control the fat content and flavor profile although I've cut back recently due to the absurd prices for beef. I haven't found a good local source although I'm sure there's one around. Just finished eating a locally grown peach; summer is wonderful even when the humidity is high.
When we buy meat, it is locally sourced and sustainably produced which gives it a better nutritional profile. I do love heritage pork and we will buy some pork chops at the Saturday Market this am.
When we began doing the 6&6 lifestyle between MA and FL, we learned about grits and how wonderful good grits tasted with a pat of butter melted on them and then mixed with your sunny side-up egg yolk. Those were the pre-vegan dairy days before coronary artery disease and a desire to live longer intervened by not piling on a lot of animal protein to clog up our vascular system further.
For thé first six months after the vegan conversion, we’d whine, "Damn, I really miss those breakfasts with grits and biscuits. " Eventually, the craving for the fat in the dairy products subsided, but thé craving has been described by some folks as being as difficult and quitting smoking or alcohol.
Looking back, it is not the beef, pork or lamb that we really miss. It’s the grilled cheese or fried egg sandwich for lunch or thé hard boiled eggs in the potato salad. It’s interesting what different vegans recall fondly when they get together and start that memory lane discussion about their likes and dislikes before their conversion.
Most primary care docs don’t even have the dietary discussion with their overweight patients any longer because the docs know from experience that converting anyone to a plant based nutritional program is close to impossible, so the docs don’t go there. The docs know the science, but the majority of them ignore it too. Most converted vegans have had a medical slap upside the head that causes their reassessment to occur. When the cardiologist says something like, "You have multiple coronary blockages in your heart that may cause a major adverse coronary event (MACE) at any time, so you should consider every option to stabilize your lifestyle or begin getting your affairs in order.." only a dope doesn’t listen carefully.
It is really easy! I learned very fast after I got married in 1961! I fixed mashed potatoes....and didn't make gravy! After that experience...I learned! uquet Milk gravies you use flour and milk and it is best with the drippings from fried meats. Brown gravy you use corn starch and broth from roasted meat, beef boulillon cubes and I add Kitchen Bouquet to get a rich brown color. These items I only make for company which is not very often!
Most restaurants make theirs by opening a can; the only place to find really good biscuits and gravy is in a place where they save the grease from cooking their morning bacon and sausage and use that as the base for their gravy. If they make their own sausage that's a bonus. Then it's just a matter of how much pepper you like and how fluffy your biscuits are. I don't doubt for a minute that yours are better because anyone who says they're proud of the food they cook usually has good reason.
I too like the IDEA of home made sausage, but full disclosure requires the confession that I'm from Georgia and Alabama. I love the sausage and biscuits my mama made hut in a pinch I'll any old trashy version that's available. Really, where s&b are concerned, worse is better--look for doughy biscuits and tasteless gravy. Heaven.
p.s. I haven't heard anybody mention cream chipped beef on toast in a long time. Delicious. And how about pigs and blankets. My grandmother made those as a special treat6.
And let me play checkers or the golf tee wooden triangle at the table or look at the old fashioned games and candy in their store while I wait for my plant based sausage to be served next to pancakes bigger than a dinner plate.
Hahahahahahahahaha. My kids have fond memories of stopping at Cracker Barrels on road trips. But now the Cracker Barrel is “woke”so pass them by for McDonalds. There are plenty laughing at this one!
OK, people. My husband and I love ourselves an occasional Cracker Barrel breakfast. Just because CB has many “unhealthy” choices doesn’t mean you have to eat them and all in the same sitting. Everything in moderation…
They're definitely not "woke" when it comes to religion or LGBTQ+ people. I will never ever eat at a Cracker Barrel. Or a Chik-fil-A, which pretends to be inclusive and actually is the same toxic combination of homophobe and antisemite in its ownership (and I have advocated for removing them from my university's on-campus food options but apparently the fact that they won't hire LGBTQ+ people and are unpleasant to people whose religious perspectives are different from management's aren't enough for them to lose their contract). They are the Hobby Lobby of the commercial food world.
Agreed. As a member of the LGBTQ community, frequently the best I can do is vote with my wallet. And I most assuredly do. No Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-a, Cracker Barrel. Although I admit, if it’s the only restaurant available, as has sometimes been the case, I will eat when I’m traveling. But I really try to avoid supporting them. Same with Wal-Mart but for different reasons. I think they contributed more than any one company in hollowing out the American middle class with their insistence on lower and lower prices, encouraging companies to move overseas. Would they have done it anyway? Maybe, but I think Wal-Mart accelerated it before people fully realized what was happening. And then we come to taxes!! The tax code encouraged our jobs to leave our shores! What kind of idiot politicians thought THAT was a good idea?! I’m a tax auditor so don’t even get me started!
Dianna I have the same feeling about WalMart. I hate them--because as the Walton family became billionaires, they handed new employees applications for food stamps because they paid so little the suckers were eligible for them. So the Walton family (WalMart is a privately held company) has become filthy rich by abusing the subsidy system and enriching themselves on the backs of poor people. But of COURSE they spend millions supporting the worst kind of right wing nut candidates because they rely on Democratic initiatives to enrich themselves but god forbid they should pay taxes. I lived for too long in an area where I was forced to be a Walmart customer, unless I wanted to drive 100 miles each way to get better options. I am happy to live in a city where WalMart has been banned by law from opening stores in the middle of the city--they are restricted to the city edge and the suburbs. I wish Home Depot had been the same, but at the time they acquired their midtown location, the city was desperate (but not enough to open the space to the Waltons). And, weirdly, our local HD employs almost all underrepresented minorities (including nonbinary people) in the midtown store--although the suburban ones are whiter than white of course. So even though the politics of the HD ownership and management is appalling, here in KC they actually support our community. But I still hate shopping there.
I am a former HD guy. Back in the day, it had a very positive culture. Then the founders walked away and handed it to the bean counters. There were three founders. Arthur was a Democrat, Bernie a Republican, as was Ken. Ultimately, Ken renounced TFG, but Bernie has gone fascist. Until year 2000, HD was retail nirvana for employees and customers. Now, it's just another big store.
My husband works at a local hardware store, part of a smallish CA chain. One of his coworkers had worked at HD but was terminated when he left his aisle to walk a customer to the aisle where the item they needed, at the other end of the store, was located. The customer could find no one else on the floor. Terrible customer service and horrible working conditions for employees. Thank goodness I never need to go to HD again!
On the subject of Walmart they can be heard loudly condemning the welfare state and all the "welfare queens" (just another racist trope) while at the same time, they pay such low wages that their employees can't afford to buy groceries so they go on welfare and apply for food stamps. Talk about hypocrisy!. They are one of the major companies whose people are dependent on welfare.
I have talked to people who really prefer other fast food, but will sit in the long Chik-fil-A line to be “patriotic”. I just laugh. So ridiculous. As is the cute spelling of their name. 🗽
The opening of a Chik-fil-A in my Bay Area city was quite controversial, with protests from both sides. It was ultimately built and after several years, the traffic it creates is still considerable. My apolitical son went there after he worked out the other day and raved about the chicken sandwich and waffle fries. I sometimes think I should try it just once, but my conscience and my belief in the dignity and equity all people deserve gets the better of me. Fortunately, I don’t ever have the dilemma of having to eat at Cracker Barrel, unless I travel to TN or such, which is highly unlikely.
Those people who use the word woke as a pejorative do like injustice as long as it doesn't apply to white folks. And yes, I do like both catfish and grits, but seldom have either. After viewing the comments about the CB, I did think about grits and how I like them.
Somehow I've missed all of the kerfuffles over Cracker Barrell! But my life has been just a treasure, nonetheless ....
Well, I awoke long about 1974 and am living testimony to eating nothing but plants and their like. For nearly 50 years, and of course I weigh the same as I did 50 years ago, and without all that hair I had in high school!
Long about 20 years ago my wife and I realized how much our free ranging breakfast eggs just LOVE to be eaten with steamed vegetables and the side of gluten-free toast! Thank goodness here along the coast of Maine there are plenty of free ranging morsels!
But I have to say, I've NEVER had shell fish; no lobstah even! I pain when I see them tied together in little tanks, frightened together. I just get a sense that somehow a human ingests that horror
Well, I'm off to free range a bit, and then our stroll to the Saturday farmers market
Seriously, the backlash against The Cracker Barrel for offering non-meat options reveals how absurd the right-wing has become. Do the MAGAs not go to the doctor? Do they not have their cholesterol checked? Eating less meat, especially red meat, isn't "woke," it helps you live longer. What's next? A backlash against using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer? Or drinking scotch instead of bourbon because bourbon is made with mostly corn instead of barley?
I swear the buildup of C02 in the atmosphere is creating a decline in brain function.
Here's a fun fact for you. The Catholic Church invented the Holy Inquisition basically to use against the group they called the Cathars (aka the Albigenses), who called themselves the Perfecti, in 1215. The worst sin of the Perfecti? They were vegetarians. there were specific theological reasons for their vegetarianism (mostly because they seem to have believed in the transmigration of souls, a la Plato), but this is what sent the Catlicks into a frenzy.
These people are looking for every little thing that they can link to "woke" as it is one of those words that they love to hate even though it means being a decent person. Already they probably don't use sunscreen. I confess to being a single malt neat drinker, but only because I prefer it. The people in question probably drink Four Roses or moonshine. After dealing with my relatives in the midwest, they seem to be suspicious of anything that might be healthier.
I have a chemical conspiracy theory for this decline. Think the Romans and their lead drinking vessels. It's a cocktail of CO2 and mercury in the air mixed with equal parts lead and PFAs in the water. It all works to reduce the size of the brain so the smallest shake of the head creates concussions. I should do a YouTube and monetize this, eh? I could title it "Shaken not stirred".
The thing that has hit the hardest at my sense of confidence and hope that we might make it through this is the cruelty. And since the Roe decision, they seem to not only have stopped trying to pretend but they seem to be prancing and bragging about it. I am, and have always been, afraid of people like that. Of all people, George Will published an article today about fascism and comparing Mussolini and Putin. One line has stuck with me all day. "Fascism isn't violent; Fascism is violence." We see that in nearly every corner of our world. TFG was a caricature of the weak man in love with violence. What I'm afraid of is that we have finally caught up with where we started. Can a nation founded in genocide with a long love affair with cowboys and gangsters and a concept of manhood that is both shaky and aggressive, come through intact? Not too very long ago I would have said there was a good chance. Today I would't say there's no chance but we will need the passion we just saw in Kansas every single day for a long time. I'm a very old political warrior and my health keeps me mostly in my apartment, but signed on for one more fight the day I watched what that group of old white men did to Justice Brown.
From one old warrior to another, let's give it all we got until we can't. What strikes me about all these "weak" and frightened gangsters is just how shallow they are. How little depth of compassion. How they act like wounded tigers. How afraid they are of truth. How hollow their hearts are. They remind me of the zombies on The Walking Dead.
Yes and just as film making it really was flawless. I don't think I found a single imperfection and I watched it three times. Every single scene, every detail of cinematography, dialogue (or the absence of), acting, music, was co-ordinated precisely. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite like it. Reading commentary from all the people involved with putting it together is amazing. I dom't know if you watched it more than once but the first time I was caught completely off guard by the ending. The second time I saw this incredible trail of clues that led straight to the conclusion. To this day I don't know how I missed them. But the big thing about the film, of course, is the most courageous and intricate depiction of a particularly American reality and one that is so encompassing that too many of the people who ought to know better (and do know better) support or bend to this horrid authoritarian rule because the chest-baring pathetic masculinity looks like an effective maleness and because they are afraid of any hint of ambiguity in their own. It's a toxic mix and hard to tease apart all the threads that got us here.
I must have missed that story about Cracker Barrel! Did someone really call it “woke” to introduce a non meat option!? Years ago a colleague brought me to a Cracker Barrel and I couldn’t find anything on the menu I could eat.
When they announced the non meat option, you would think the world had ended. The howling has been long and loud when all these people have to do is not order it. I don't think I have ever darkened the door of a Cracker Barrel. Some people here this week camped out to await the opening of Chik-Fil-A in Salem. Puke.
I think I ate at a Cracker Barrel once when away for training with a co-worker who was crazy for their menu. (He died of a massive heart attack at age 57, up on top of his off the grid mountain cabin; his wife told me it took 5 hours for EMS to get up there in snow machines.) I will not ever eat at that f-ed up chicken "restaurant", nor will I eat at Cracker Barrel. If I want biscuits and gravy, I'll go to Black Bear Diner. I, too, buy meat from local farmers and have the bounty of a brother in law who runs a sport fishing business in Alaska, and get a good supply of free halibut every year.
Oh, there was a Black Bear Diner in Colorado Springs. Yummy. Yeah, the chicken place and cracker barrel certainly have a lot to answer for...halibut, I am jealous.
Black Bear was started in Mt. Shasta in the mid 1990's, and has grown (especially in the past few years). I've eaten at the Black Bear in Wilsonville, and it is pretty darn true to the original. Karyn and I discovered it on a motorcycle trip we'd taken into California one year. They had a tri-tip salad that was fabulous. They are great about modifying dishes for food allergies/sensitivities.
Thank you for the mention of Mt. Shasta…I grew up in Dunsmuir and spent 27 of my laters years there! Black Bear was a favourite but portions really big, always ordered the senior or “lite” items.
Went to Cracker barrel last night. Most of the patrons were grossly overweight, many were on canes and walkers, probably in need of knee replacements doctors don't want to give them because they are so grossly overwegiht. Young people too for the most part were overweight and boy were they scarfing down the huge portions.
I am not surprised. I am from the midwest where the portions are huge. In the old days when farming was hard physical labor, people needed lots of calories to do the work. Now they don't and you observed the result. When my niece was here with my sister, she was worried that I was feeding them organic food and brown eggs...horrors.
Unfortunately I have to count myself among those fortunate to be sitting in a comfortable place commenting on the customers at Malmart and CB, but I can't let myself off the hook without saying that the weight and health problem has a deeper cause. The cheapest food at any chain supermarket is the unhealthy, fattening food. A lot of those overweight people are overweight because they can't afford the healthy stuff and have little to no access to the kind of education that would help them make choices. It's a trap for all of us in one way or another and, although I'm as poor as the proverbial church mouse, I do know how to learn enough to realize there are options. We have created a terrible maze in this culture that is practically a caste system and we just go around and around.
Agree and to me this is such a travesty. I wish good food was cheaper and more available. We are lucky to be able to afford to shop at the Saturday Market (which does accept food stamps I think) and the natural and organic food store. I don't assume everything there is healthy either, so I always read labels. It is a caste system.
I liked hearing about the history of income tax and the slice of time when citizens asked to support their federal government even more by paying some more. People feeling good about doing their part….however small or big. The size of the part mattered because it represented the part they could contribute to make sure our country “worked”. You know, what they say about freedoms. We pay for our federal government structure. I liken it to a warranty. I liked hearing the story from Professor Richardson. It made me think of the pride I have felt writing the check to IRS every year or waiting for a refund. Just grateful that I contributed to this country for the fortune of being one of its citizens. When I write a check for anything, I always write “Thank you” on the memo line. I want the Universe to feel my abundance. Yep. Thank you for this Letter, Professor Richardson. Your stories are full of grace that lives in history.
I, too, appreciate the Professor's letter on the history of taxation in the US. Taxes are an interesting thing. I have voted for every school levy that has been proposed, and I have friends who say, literally, ""you don't have kids, why do you support the schools?" My reply is "How can you not? I want the people running the government in my later years to be educated, honest people. I want the people who will be caring for me in my failing years to be as smart and creative as they can be." I do not object to paying for national defense (even as we engage in unlawful wars) and I do not object to paying for the government to run, either at the state or local level.
I fear that the only thing that could bring us back to that time where "doing my share" is patriotic is an assault on our country from without (alien invasion comes to mind) that would cause us to band together as a nation. I don't see it any other way.
I think that the word "tax" has become so toxic (taxic?) that people don't stop to think as you have done, Ally. Perhaps we should use the word "bond." We are buying bonds for our mutual home and its people. When "payroll bonds" are accounted for every year, a citizen should get a certificate showing items that they have purchased. They may even get to choose what they pay for, i.e., "defense," "health care" "sustainable energy" "infrastructure," etc. In other words, have taxation appear to have purchased something of value to the payer.
Years ago, when I was working with the PTA in my county, people who no longer had children in the schools also said, "Why should I pay taxes, I don't have kids in school." I remind them that the cycle changes for all of us. There was a time WHEN you had children in schools and those without students were paying for YOUR children. That is how society becomes united and works together for the good of all.
I love your explanation of having educated people running the government, hospitals, everything.
Morning, Christine! I liked hearing about our early Americans treasuring (pardon the pun!) their country in this way. I can't say I ever wrote "Thank you" on the memo line, but tried to be as punctual as I could to send my check in. These days, it's done by EFT (or equivalent). Long gone are the days of the personal!
Hahahahaha. A sleeve of checks used to last a month or so. Now, I have the same sleeve that I started last year or before. But I continue to write “thank you” on the memo line even when I “pay bills” electronically through my bank. I recently was in the pet food store and there was a ruckus at the cash out line. Their system had gone down and they could only cash customers out with cash or personal check. I think I was the only one in line to pull out a checkbook and leave a check with them. People in line were 😤 or 😳. I made sure to ask my kids later if they had some cash or a paper check on them at all times. They also were….”Mom, that’s old school.” 😂😜 So much for them getting pet food in a timely fashion.
Its like clocks or cursive writing. Many young people do not have a cursive signature. Nor can tell time with automaticity from an analog clock. It’s not taught anymore. It always is in my classrooms, informal or formal.
Christine! What a great way to get to the head of the line! Old school or not, I'm sure your pets were grateful for your checkbook-keeping ways!
I love my analog clocks, too. Every one of them is set to a slightly different time, off by two to three minutes, give or take. It can be quite an exercise throughout the day as I look at one and try to guess whether it's 26 minutes after the hour, on the money, or 24 minutes before the hour. (I'm easily entertained 🕝🕜🕧
Mine are the same way. One I have to set every few weeks: it has been responsible for me being late too many times. I suppose I could buy a new one, but it would have to tic-toc. I'm too used to the sound. It's kind of comforting, reminds me of my Grandpa and his old weighted mantel clock.
Hey, Annie. Just read your comment re the clocks. Made me smile in remembrance. Being retired, it doesn't much matter knowing what the exact time is, except when I want to catch one of HCR's chats on FB!
Christine, I have read that keeping one check in your wallet is a very bad idea, as if your wallet is stolen, it can be used. I think I saw that on the AARP website at one time. However, I'm glad you were able to feed your pets on time!
I finally joined what my three kids do--I have pet needs on repeat delivery. I was forced into doing so when the preferred food of my cat herd became more and more difficult to find in stock.
That is a good idea. I just checked my primary check book, and the top check in the duplicate bunch was written in November last year to pay my property taxes. I have half than bundle left.
Christine I love your comment. Stories, that's it exactly. I start my day with Professor Richardson's stories. I am an old English teacher and a writer and I believe absolutely in the redemptive power of story. Thank you for reminding me.
What is the Republican Party good for? Absolutely nothing.
Well, that's not quite true. It's adept at supporting a coup, trying to destroy democracy, lying about everything under the sun, dividing the country, trying to control women's bodies, trying to destroy the planet and in the process causing untold suffering and deaths, trying to destroy affordable health care and the social safety net, performative governance...I could go on all night. But why bother.
I hope I live to see the day that I look at campaign posters and see not one boasting “conservative Republican.” It is a sign of the traitors in our midst…
And of course Jeri, these monsters are no more conservative than I am. They are radical right-wing mobsters, bent on chaos, violence, and destruction. I sometimes think the lot of them have sold their souls to something more evil than I want to imagine. And the marriage of that ideal of government and extremists within the Evangelical Christian movement is a force that I don't even want to try to imagine. Bad all around.
The favorite slogan in this West Michigan county, where right-wingers defeated most of the competent, conservative county commissioners, is "Faith and Freedom." (Only as defined by them, of course)
Well, given the outcome of the Kansas referendum, with lots of support from independents, it's interesting to think about a new, more moderate party possibly emerging.
If ever I draw the winning ticket for a PowerBall billion...I'll give a go at trying that perspective thing. But I doubt I'll ever be able to work up much empathy for the dreadful struggles of billionaires having to pay their fair share of taxes.
Twitter had Repub after Repub last night lying about what is in the Inflation Reduction Act, including my two professional liars, Blackburn and Hagerty.
Why not go back to what worked? Good question. If you are rich and powerful, and greedy (gotta have that combination), then the notion of spreading wealth over the entire population doesn't sound good. Nor does paying out according to ability to pay. Such a notion is not "what works" for you, even though you'd do just fine. Certainly in the short term anyway. If you are not well off and struggle to get by, if you see inequities that put you at a disadvantage, you are going to like this idea. Today, the former category is the Republicans (and there seems to be no shortage of rich powerful greedy people), and the latter category the Democrats. Just that simple. There is more - the former category, in their zeal to protect their riches, have successfully gamed the system to have more power than they ordinarily would (thanks to our imperfect system of government, which needs reform to prevent such things, but won't because the bad guys have too much influence), and have very importantly taken advantage of the gullibility of the average Joe and turned truth on its head with propaganda of one kind or another to help cement their grip with the vote. At no time is that more true than today.
Make no mistake Congressional Republicans are lemmings willing to sacrifice supporting equality, climate etc and democracy in our country for party support to get re-elected. Their first rule is support TFP if it gets them elected or re-elected even if the TFP tried to destroy our democracy. However the Congressional Republicans are now beginning to splinter over that support and Republican voters are beginning to do the same with respect to abortion, same sex marriage and generally the conservative majority on the US Supreme Court, the inflation reduction act and TFP.
I think there's a lot of evidence that TFG's stock is falling. I don't think that's good news because there's are worse in the wings. Mike Pence is my current favorite for most dangerous.
In no particular order, it’s hard to know where to start. In either party.
Face it, the Republican Party today is no more than a fascist collection of button pushing racist Big Lie liars pandering to America’s growing worst.
Sadly, Trickle down was unadulterated garbage. Nixon and Agnew were convicted criminals. Silent Majority was the lede to today. Grade B Hollywood buffoon Ronald Reagan was the trickle down David Stockman clown. GHWB’s Voodoo economics was true.
GHWB was a gutless joke kissing up to Reagan and Nixon, both driven out. Son W was a forgettable ignorant draft dodging drunk.
Speaker Newt General was as evil as Trump and far smarter.
W’s Iraq was war crime leading straight to Afghanistan.
Barry Goldwater threatened mutually assured destruction and was the most stupid.
The last decent Republican presidents were gentle Speaker Gerald Ford installed as Nixon resigned and five star general Dwight David Eisenhower.. leader of Allied Forces on D Day in WW II.
President Biden should declare very soon his intent to rest after his first term.
Read Maureen Dowd today in The New York Times. Read my comment if NYT runs it. The NYT is mismanaging its OpEd and Opinion efforts reflecting a weak publisher born to the job.
AG did not earn his position. Editor Bennett never should have been fired. His Colorado brother would be a good president.
Our nation is experiencing a crisis in leadership. We have no obvious choices in either party.
There are competent Democrats who could run. As to the president, he is actually doing some amazing things under dreadful circumstances. He should see how he feels and what the mood of the country is before deciding.
Let us please give Biden his due. He's done some really courageous and amazing things during what has been a hellacious time. Let's help him out and stop sticking pins in him. Please let's just do that much. It just might help us all.
All of which is true, so where do we go from here? We can do better, but we need an engaged citizenry who takes their responsibilities seriously enough to stand up. It's been done in other countries--Iceland and Norway are examples. Let's look for good examples moving forward. If we allow ourselves to despair, we'll never get anywhere.
The IRS is funded inadequately and only going after the "easy" cases meaning the little fish, and not the big complicated ones. Hopefully it is going to change with this bill.
There is a psychological phenomenon called social loafing, where an individual lets everyone else in a group do more than he or she does. Taxes pay for roads and schools and the Post Office, air traffic controllers, pandemic vaccines, and the defense of this great nation, among other things. Are you not proud of our country? What do you consider a reasonable contribution to the upkeep of the country for someone who makes however much money as you do? In my personal experience, individuals who use this term, confiscatory in relationship to taxes, are seldom patriotic, and often resent being expected to do their fair share in many circumstances, not just paying taxes. But maybe I am jumping to conclusions, here. Do you think a progressive tax in confiscatory?
Because a progressive tax levels the playing field. Progressive means that you pay more only on the portion that makes you richer than the next guy. Which is fair.
It also lifted up the middle class and brought unprecedented prosperity to this country.
Fair taxation is not confiscatory. It is the price you pay to enjoy the benefits of living in society.
Senate Majority Leader and Whip Kyrsten Sinema certainly held the Senate hostage for $5 billion in drought money and narrowing the carried interest loophole. Not sure why such a tax is of interest to her. Business interests. It was suggested private parties were after her to stop it from going into effect.
By her lonesome this time. Can't blame Manchin. Instead, Democrats added “a new 1 percent excise tax on stock buybacks that will bring in $73 billion, far more than the $14 billion raised by the carried interest provision, according to a Democrat familiar with the deal.”
Ok, that is sweet as it reduces the deficit. MMT proponents would argue, "who cares, we are sovereign."
We need a few more Senators so we can take away Sinema and Machin's temporary title of Senate Majority Leader.
I read an article today about Sinema. She is really strange as far as I am concerned. I did read that she was irked that she wasn't in on the deal in the first place. This is a woman who doesn't say anything much or explain her views and she wants to be calling the shots. I hope she goes down in 2024 and will certainly donate to a D opponent.
I find Sinema offensive in many ways. But let's just celebrate that she's not blocking a fundamentally strong piece of legislation, paving the way for another major victory for a Democratic administration intent on helping its citizens and the planet.
I too am glad she came around. And all the money she got for Arizona will not alter the problem of too many people using water in a place where they should not be nor stop the drought which will only get worse in the West.
That's what "pork" is for, wherever it gets put into a bill. Sinema cannot do much to ameliorate Arizona's main water problem -- the Colorado River water division occurred when Arizona had half the population it does not. That was well before the drought. Ironic, given geography.
What gets me too is that she is so clueless that she wasn't even subtle about being bought and paid for. Clueless about what the people of her state are up against, and clueless about thinking that nobody notices her blatent angling to be where she thinks the power lies. I hope AZ voters take a look at what is starting to happen in other states and use that as an example. My family AX branch has been gone for a while and it's a whole lot worse than it was then.
I think AZ will be a bit of a swamp for a while. That's where the bogus "recount" by the firm owned by a Trump supporter that had never before audited an election was approved.
It's on the cusp, but not sure anyone knows of what.
No she can't. Our neighbors take their RV and spend a few months in the Arizona area. They always comment on the low level of Lake Mead. Our other neighbors have their house for sale, so that they can live most of the year in Arizona. Know some others who have moved there and I do wonder about the wisdom of doing that because I think major water problems are not far in the future. One piece of good news here in Oregon, a developer who was wanting to build a water sucking resort near Bend and Redmond has given up the project. He would have walked off with sacks of money leaving the locals with waterless bags. Also the state of Oregon has a cooperative deal with some Native American tribes in southern Oregon to manage the natural resources. This is another place where people should not be ranching and growing potatoes. The state also developed a new wildfire risk map and sent notices to property owners as to what they had to do. The howling from areas like southern Oregon has been long and loud. I think it is mostly about insurance which they will be lucky to get at all in the near future.
And while I'm disappointed the Hedge Fund Manager Welfare hasn't been eliminated yet, I am very pleased on the tax on stock buy backs. Clever girl.
Now if we can just get a 5 cent "fee" on each and every financial transaction--regardless of its size--we can get rake in more billions toward the reducing the deficit, etc.
I disagree on the 5 cent fee on every financial transaction. Of course that will be passed on to consumers, just like credit card fees are now being passed on by many places.
The city of San Francisco imposed a fee/tax like this, and companies started moving out of the city. It is short sighted.
Didn't happen when Britain imposed the 1 cent "fee" on all financial transactions on the London Stock Exchange. $11 Billion in revenue to Britain's general treasury (or whatever they call it) on Year 1
Who are the "consumers" on Wall Street? Traders & Hedge Fund Managers & Stock Companies
It's not 5 cents per share; it's 5 cents per transaction--even if it's a billion dollar transaction.
I'm a little miffed that no one every offered me any money to be a political whore. Any body else getting these big bucks bribes?? I have to ask myself what I'm doing wrong.
She hasn't made any friends with other Democrats, she makes a point of hanging out with Republicans. But then, that's the usual arc for a moron with an IQ low enough to qualify as a Green, which is where she began.
While I agree that Sinema is a problematic politician and could never understand her switch from Green to Dirty, our family home in Germany is in a city-state run by a Green-Left-Social Democrat coalition. It has the highest rate of covid vaccination in Germany, at 89% which is much higher than the USA and where instead of expecting the government to lower the price of fuel, everyone is making sure that their homes are as energy efficient as they possibly can be which is why all of the Energy consultants are booked a into the next year. You need an energy consultant to assess your home and advise you so that you can get government rebates for the improvements you make by adding insulation (for homes that tend to be better insulated naturally by design than houses in the USA), improving your heating sources, like wall, ceiling, floor radiant heating, adding solar or photovoltaic panels on your roof, changing to heat pumps, geothermal to lower ones use of energy be it gas, electric, oil, or wood. Greens are not fringe candidates in Germany and are gaining ground in Europe. Dr Robert Habeck Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and Annalena Baerbock Minister of Foreign Affairs are very popular politicians. Both are members of the German Green party. In countries with coalition governments, which the USA cannot have because of the political setup, it looks different to have the Green Party as a member, because they keep the climate agenda on the forefront in political decision making.
While Sweden currently is run by a single Social Democratic leader with backing of Green, Left and Centre parties, prior to that it had a coalition government of Social Democrats and the Green Party. Finland has a coalition government that includes Social Democrats and Greens. Austria is run by a coalition of the People's Party and the Greens. Vienna has just gotten a climate award from Singapore.
They are also coalition partners in Montenegro, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Republic of Ireland, and Spain.
In the USA they may act as a spoiler to the only 2 parties who have a chance of getting elected, but that is one of the unfortunate aspects of our system, that it has boiled down to only two parties having a chance of winning. It has disengaged far too many people. With coalition governments, many more people may vote in other countries. Of the 60 million eligible to vote in the last Federal election almost 46.5 mil voted. That is around 78% of the population. In the USA we had our highest voter turnout in 2020 and that was almost 67%. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/2020-presidential-election-voting-and-registration-tables-now-available.html
So, our set up gets fewer people to vote because anyone who does not feel that either the Democrats or the Republicans really represents their interests does not feel compelled to vote, whereas in Germany when you know that your candidate needs a certain percentage to have a seat at the governing table, regardless of whether they will be the lead candidate, they will still have a say, so that is more motivating. Not to say that parliamentary government works better than our system. Look at England. However, just saying that Green Party candidates are only a spoiler in our system. I personally find climate change to be the defining issue for our continued existence and look at which of the 2 major parties can best bring about addressing it, knowing full well that the Green party would be more focused, but have less chance to win and get anything done. Ultimately one wants to vote for people who will get things done. It is why I would have never voted for Ralph Nader. I don't believe that every activist a president makes.
I worked Thursday’s elections in TN for county and state offices. One young lady showed up at the wrong precinct, so I tried to redirect her. She said no, it wasn’t a presidential election and she had errands to run. I wanted to give her a five-minute tutorial on why local elections are important, including they are stepping stones to higher office. See The States Project and Run for Something websites.
Thanks for that - in Oz, the Greens appear to be somewhat split between the people oriented component and the environmental. I'm not aware of the nature of the Greens in Germany/Europe, but, as the saying goes, they seem to have their shit together. Unfortunately the US system makes it difficult for a 3rd party to emerge. But to denigrate their intelligence is stupid in the extreme.
In Germany, the Greens garnered enough votes in the last general election to take a significant role in the current coalition government. And they are doing a good job - competent and level-headed. In our state of North Rhine Westphalia, they are a major player and their numbers in the rest of the country have been steadily rising over the last few election cycles.
Greens in Germany and elsewhere are not the same as Greens in America. Greens in America are unprincipled Putin-loving morons (See: Stein, Jill; Sarandon, Susan). There are numerous instances of a Green taking money from Republicans to run against a popular Democrat and drain their vote to allow a Republican victory. They think doing that will "speed the revolution." Stein took money from Putin in 2016 to screw with HRC's campaign and give the victory to Trump.
It is so strange how we Americans dismiss European countries with all the civilized decisions they have made as "socialists." So many of us seem to prefer ignorance to progressivism. Heaven help us if a cent goes to the "undeserving," a euphemism for anyone not of a certain race, ethnicity, religion, or region.
Good discussion. Now, if we could only have the "parties" (2 in this case) behaving in a adult manner we'd be in the game. So unfortunate.., that one party promotes bizarre principles, relies on double-speak dishonesty, a degrading diatribe, and blatant support for white supremacy. All of which their tailgate voters openly endorse or are simply oblivious to. DAWGONNIT America...please wake up!!
Yes. In essence we have a very broken system, which those of us who are trying to participate honorably are trying to keep afloat. Many are giving up though. Scammers are really abundant.
So TC what's your issue with the Greens? - OK - I tend to find that they have conflicting priorities - pro-people (sensu-lato) and pro-environment. The policies are often in conflict. We have the same issue in Oz. However demonizing the Greens doesn't help - they need guidance. I know nothing about the US version of the Greens - but someone has to generate a counter to the current "It's the economy, stupid".
Greens in America are unlike Greens elsewhere. They are politically unprincipled - there have been several instances discovered of Greens taking money from Republicans to run against a popular Democrat in a close race to drain votes from the Democrat. There's Jill Stein, who took Putin's money, still dances his dance, and who worked to defeat Hillary in 2016 on the grounds that a Trump victory would "speed the revolution." In other words, they're alleged-lefty MORONS. The last thing anyone with a brain would want to do is live in a USA run by these idiots.
I wouldn't bet on it. Hanging out with Republicans is not a bad thing in Arizona, especially these days. Word is she'll run as an Independent when up for reelection.
Repeublicans nowadays may like her as a PITA to Democrats, but they're unlikely to vote for a bisexual environmentalist when they can vote for a real red meat Trumpist Fascist and get the Real Thing.
Sinema would draw some moderate Republicans, like Cindy McCain who endorsed her. Particularly given the Trumpists. And she'll draw some Democrats, who need independents and moderates to win. I think it will hurt the Dems--splits almost always do (Ross Perot is the exception).
Her political transformation--which has been stunning--has also earned her a strong following in Arizona. Word is she'll run as an Independent when up for reelection.
She gets a lot of her financial contributions from the finance industry. After we get two more Senators this fall and she goes back to being the irrelevant idiot she was born to be, we'll get that carried interest business straightened out next year and start reigning in the pinstriped pimps.
I think I made my thoughts known without offending women. As a male, I can not cross that line.
I do need women posters/authors at or site to cover issues I can not cover adequately. It is a hard find. Our people left due to prof requirements, family, etc.
No pay involved just a place on an economics blog which has been cited as one of the best.
Hi bill, Which economics blog is it? Sounds interesting. Also, re: crossing that line, "what the hell are you doing" isn't very nice for this friendly blog....
Bill, I was surprised by your attack on Bonnie. Her comment seemed to be a warning about Sinema's ties to private equity firms as substantial donors to her political campaign.
Thank you for getting back to me. I think I explained what I meant in my statement to Bonnie. My wording was too generic and I had not preface to make such a statement. I goofed.
Hi Bill H. Good for hear from you. I knew that there was something screwy about your initial comment to Bonnie because it didn't sound like the real Bill H whose comments are topnotch. Cheers!
Thank you. I am not perfect. I am usually in a hurry. I make mistakes. And I am also a male. I am not in tune at times.
Why a pretty woman from Queens (yes, I went to Queens to find a Queen) who lived between two aunts and a raft of cousins chose me, I am not sure. Although, she never had a chance. I would be there on leave, and my young female cousins would rat on her. :) Fifty-one years later . . .
You was used to convey "they," meaning her supporters and Sinema. "Here" means AZ.
It appears my sentence was not tied to a preface adequately. I am sorry for not being more specific and if it was hurtful. Thank you for letting me know.
‘Kyrsten Sinema ensured a $14 billion tax break for private equity, hedge fund, and real estate executives remains intact. It's a win for many of her campaign donors.’
‘The carried interest tax provision of the Inflation Reduction Act was expected to have raised about $14 billion over 10 years.’
'According to Open Secrets, the global private equity firms KKR, Carlyle, and Apollo Global Management are among the leading 20 sources of donations to Sinema's campaign committee between 2017 and 2022.'
'As Open Secrets notes, it isn't the organizations in the list that donated money directly, but rather, their "political action committees, their individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families." Further, subsidiaries and affiliates are included in the organizations' total donations figure.'
'Other organizations listed by Open Secrets among the leading 20 sources of donations include Andreessen Horowitz, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has invested in companies including Facebook, Twitter, and Airbnb; and Rudin Management, a private commercial and residential landlord and developer in New York City.'
'All in all, Sinema has received $2.2 million from investment firms between 2017 and 2022, according to Open Secrets.'
Sinema's office didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. (BusinessInsider) See link below.
‘Carried interest is the percentage of an investment’s gains that a private equity partner or hedge fund manager takes as compensation. At most private equity firms and hedge funds, the share of profits paid to managers is about 20 percent.’
‘Under existing law, that money is taxed at a capital-gains rate of 20 percent for top earners. That’s about half the rate of the top individual income tax bracket, which is 37 percent. A tax law passed by Republicans in 2017 largely left the treatment of carried interest intact, after an intense lobbying campaign, but it did narrow the exemption by requiring executives to hold their investments for at least three years to enjoy preferential tax treatment.’
‘An agreement reached last week by Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, would have extended that holding period to five years from three, while changing the way the period is calculated in hopes of reducing taxpayers’ ability to take advantage of the lower 20 percent tax rate.’
‘Lawmakers’ inability to address a tax break that Democrats and some Republicans have called unfair underscores the influence of lobbyists for the finance industry and how difficult it can be to change the tax code.’ (NYTimes) See gifted link below.
Thank you for reading it Bonnie. Voters need to know whose interests some elected representatives, such as Sinema, favor over those of the people she was elected to serve.
I agree with you about libraries however in the primary election this last Tuesday in a small Michigan town, the voters turned down a millage to support the local library. You know, that place with books on every subject, books that make the imagination soar, free internet access for those that can’t afford it, meeting rooms for local organizations, I could go on but you have get the idea. Why, you ask yourself, would the voters defund the library? Because someone found a book that that had LBTGQ subject matter in it. It created quite a stir, and the librarian was forced to move the book behind the counter so impressionable children couldn’t accidentally come upon it (even though it was shelved in the Adult Books section). But that wasn’t good enough, they wanted ALL books that contained any such subject matter to be removed from the library. When the library board refused, these people vowed to vote no on the library millage. And that is exactly what they did. The library will be forced to close next summer when it runs out of money.
That story deserves national attention. Two of our libraries were threatened with closure during Covid's early days. County Bd of Supervisors decided the facilities would make great daycare centers for county employees' kids. While we went to the barricades to stop the plan, the employees in question said they had no interest in sending their kids to a library daycare. Libraries prevailed, and we sure learned from the outcry how important they are to our community.
Cathy - Yes, I read about this. Made a donation. I work in MD Library and we are so fortunate to receive excellent funding with well-informed library boards. More power to this little library!
Sinema and Manchin could hardly afford to obstruct this bill; they both come from states suffering severe effects of global climate change, and West VA and its coal interests need a LONG awaited shift away from dirty energy . Shame on Maserati Manchin yachting up river to work for Big Energy — parts of his state are also flooding. His neighbors in Eastern KY need to remember their shame for inflicting the likes of Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul on this government, too. Needless to say, I don’t see THOSE multi millionaires stepping up to help flood victims.
I just don’t feel beholden to those who elect traitors and subversive, wing-nut politicians. Like the judge said when he sentenced Reffitt to 7 years in prison: There is nothing about these people that resembles patriotism. Let Manchin and Sinema remember that.
Also, if they shaft this bill and the Dems lose the Senate, M&S will become totally irrelevant. If the Dems keep the Senate, even if we add Senators who will move aside the filibuster, M&S still have some importance.
Hedge fund managers and such who benefit from the carried interest loophole have given Sinema a great deal of money, which explains her interest in it. Unlike that corruption, her advocacy for climate change funding to help her state survive drought is called doing her job. Funny thing about the Green Party. It claims to be green as in progressive, and repeatedly turns out to be green as in taking money to degrade progressive efforts.
Given what we know about the people of AZ, I wouldn't be surprised if she's re-elected. Not sure a lot of AZ voters have brains. They just follow.(Apologies to those here who live in the Grand Canyon State, aka, Arizona.)
So much good news for our country this week! Hopefully positivity will gain momentum as we move towards the midterms, despite the obstructive efforts of Republicans.
“The introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act caps what has turned out to be a spectacular week for the Biden administration. Jobs numbers out today showed not the downturn that many expected, but instead the addition of 528,000 new jobs, restoring the U.S. job numbers to where they were before the pandemic and putting unemployment at 3.5%, the lowest rate in 50 years. The United States Chips and Science Act (CHIPS) and the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT) have both passed Congress. The president authorized and troops achieved the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. And gas prices have hit a 50-day low.”
My Granny used to tell me "don't borrow troubles." Deal with--or celebrate--what's here today. And this week has much to celebrate for all Americans, except the sourpusses.
No economist has any idea what's going on--yes, it might be a recession or it might be stabilization. But the economic indicators are trending in the right direction right now--high employment, higher wages, inflation creeping down. I don't even count the stock market, because it has a life of its own.
Your Granny was a smart person who was tempered (harden) in the flames of past economic occurrences.
I think back to 2008 when we were too timid in rescuing Main Street from the mistakes of Wall Street. We have a lot to be thankful for in what I assume Biden learned from that period of time. He has not been bashful in applying economic stimulus. Healthcare insurance subsidies were extended for people withing 250% FPL. The gap from 100% to 138% was covered which was not previously covered by the ACA or Medicaid.
Biden made the right moves on drawing down the Oil SPR to supplement the country's needs. The country has a larger refining capacity for sour grade oil than it does for sweet trade of oil. When you see him shipping oil over to Europe refining, he is sending the sweet oil. Gasoline prices are down about a $1 per gallon. If you wish a lower price, driving the speed limit will reduce usage by ~5% . . . larger supply.
Non-management Labor pay is down from its peak earlier this year. Prices are still high.
The Fed is determined to get perceived inflation under control. We have supply chain issues and market manipulation. Raising the Fed interest rates will play out on in business loans and also loans for housing. It has already hurt used home sales. One builder I talked to was complaining about young people not wanting 5% mgt loans. I usually run the numbers. A mortgage on a $314,000 home with 5% down at the rate I have is ~$1200 / month. If it goes to 5%, you are tacking on another $300-$400 on to the Mgt payment. You are close to $2000/month including taxes, HOA, and MGI. The market is down.
The Fed is going to slaughter the peasants. Knight v peasant and not knight v knight (Arthur's battle?). The recession Its coming because the Fed wants it and it will be too late when they back off.
I have zero sympathy for first-time buyers complaining about 5% mortgage rates. My first time house purchase had a 17% mortgage--on a $250,000 mortgage in 1982--when there were no "deals" for first-time buyers like the 3% down on a federally-backed mortgage.
Builders can come down a bit in almost every market--will have to if they don't want to carry the inventory too long. They can also offer incentives in lieu of price reductions: $2,000 toward the down, pay the closing costs, etc--all of which are tax deductible to them. Many of them are nationwide residential homebuilders and can absorb small price reductions or incentives.
Everyone has gotten addicted to cheap money. It was always artificial.
The economists have never seen a US economy like this one--even after WWII--which only a few are honest enough to admit. Everything they studied is only partially applicable and there is no history to draw on. Ben Bernanke was at least a scholar of The Great Depression. Obama was "afraid" of proposing too big a stimulus--and Geithner didn't argue. Special circumstances led to those decisions because they didn't know what would happen.
The actual 2008 recession the way economists measure one was rather short, even with such a small stimulus. Full recovery was projected to take 8-10 years, which was actually slightly shorter.
The US hasn't had control over oil prices since OPEC began. I agree with the SR drawdown, too
We also write economic commentary. NewDealdemocrat writes in a way most people can understand and gives the indicators. I am mostly manufacturing even though I have a MA in Economics. We have several profs who add to our dialogue.
I write mostly to cement our appreciation, with figures showing real family income growth, of how the state of income inequality in the U.S. has evolved over a 60-year time span. (Source: Economy Policy Institute)
Between 1947-73 (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, & Nixon), real family income growth for the lowest fifth was 116.1%; for the top fifth, it was 84.8%.
Between 1973-2000 (Ford, Carter, Reagan, H. W. Bush, & Clinton), real family income growth for the lowest fifth was 12.1%; for the top fifth, it was 66.9%.
Between 2000-05 (W. Bush), real family income growth for the lowest fifth was -7.8%; for the top fifth, it was -0.9%.
While I don’t imagine any one would question the effects of the last nearly 20 years on this widening inequality gap, what frustrates me is that non-college educated workers presently seem to think that the political right has their interests at heart.
Michael, I write thinking you might appreciate my trying to make some sense of the MAGA crowd. In my view, what we have seen in the past several years is the coming together of a normally fragmented spectrum across the right (e.g., White Supremacists and Second Amendment rights extremists) united by a sense of both precarity and entitlement—the fear that something to which they feel entitled is going to be taken away and, in turn, given to someone who doesn’t deserve it. The “Stop the Steal” rhetoric, replete with massive disinformation about an illegitimate and a broken democracy, predictably acts as the connective tissue that has stitched together the various grievances and resentments, all be they slightly different across all the groups.
As for whether the chaos we are living through is the beginning of something or the end of something, scholars appear only to agree on one point: the MAGA crowd are terrified of a future in which they have to share.
And the crazy part is, most of the MAGA crowd are already enjoying the fruit of these social programs. They really don't understand what they are fighting against.
Resent the hand that gives the charity you so disclaim as demeaning? Or, the American Dream denied by forces who control the next step on the mythical ladder of opportunity.
Gail, I agree with your point regarding messaging and would add that a cadre of Senate Democrats are prevailing upon leadership to hold floor votes on expanding the child tax credit, investing in housing, in eldercare, in affordable, quality childcare, raising the minimum wage to $15, and so forth. Obviously, the point is to get Republicans on record voting against legislation that would improve life for tens and tens of millions of people. Dems also could hold votes on such provisions as ending the carried interest loophole to educate the public about the people/issues Republicans care about.
Fascinating to ponder. It's so hard for us to see the world from their perspective and to appreciate the effects of endless right-wing propaganda. Of course the idea that the federal government wants to "come for their guns" defies rational thinking. And then there's the practical side of the issue: the feds have no way of enforcing such a policy much less is able logistically to deal with the tens of millions of guns.
Historically "big lies" have been proved effective, and after Watergate, Republicans closed ranks to close ranks and control the narrative and the media. Preemptively "pardoned" Nixon offered that he believed that the only mistake he made as president had been not destroying the incriminating tapes. Democrats tried and failed to nail Reagan for wildly corrupt "Iran Contra" and seemed to subsequently back off publicly condemning "GOP"corruption, while the "GOP" was busy with Joe McCarthy's playbook making scandals out of molehills, or just making stuff up (I don't include Bill Clinton in the "molehill" category BTW, because while his impeachment was partisan theater, it was never the sex that mattered, it was the flat out lies, and falsely defaming Lewinsky. That said, multiple "GOP" official lies have dwarfed that of Clinton's). If we can be prosecuted for lying to the government, it seems only fair that the agents we entrust with grave responsibility of carrying out our governance could get in a heap of trouble for lying to us. As humans can ward off or recover from a viral infection, democracy can withstand substantial lies and liars; but only if we fight them off, as the J6th Committee is now doing.
@J L Graham, I would not dispute the necessity of calling out lies and also would add I am well aware of the consequences were the perpetuation of false grievances that the 2020 election were stolen to succeed unimpeded. Thankfully, the J6th Committee, in my view, has provided conclusive (or at least near conclusive) factual predication for indicting the entire J6th command structure up to and including Trump.
YES, and the J6th Committee has taken on the burden of the avant-garde, but will require a groundswell of allies. There are so many openings for restoration of neglected justice, as Alex Jones, who was sure he would prevail with the standard right-wing strategy of brazening it out, has discovered to his dismay. Public sentiment remains the ultimate source of politcal will, and democracy requires good faith conversation. There is potentially a breath of change in the air to ;teer away, none too soon, from our elephant-in-the-room trajectory toward multiple disasters; if we enough of us help give it a push.
Do it or die, divided we will still be, but the truth should matter to the majority. Unless Rupert converts most of us. And he’s trying, despite the nougats from the WSJ
I'm sick of the unnecessary criticism of President Biden. We are not going into a RECESSION. The Repubs want you to believe we are, but compared to Trump, Joe Biden has done a tremendous job.
As an Econ major, I don't want to hear comparisons to the 1800's. We live in a different world, a one world economy very intertwined, or inter connected. International Trade and Finance are nothing like the 1800's. The recent programs Biden has worked out, include REDUCING NATIONAL DEBT. Trump didn't even know what that was. If increasing taxation on people who make 400 thousand plus then maybe these people need one less Lexus or Mercedes sitting in their driveway. We need to work on demand, and teach people how to be good STEWARDS of THEIR PERSONAL FINANCES. Gas prices have gone down dramatically in the last two weeks. We are still catching up from Covid and people need to curb their spending which is keeping inflation high. If major Oil Companies HAVE THE NERVE TO POST RECORD PROFITS, then maybe they can help out by reducing the cost of their products, THEY KNOW WE ARE SO DEPENDENT UPON, or what is known as: IN-ELASTIC DEMAND, and they know it. People will pay at the pump because #1, they need transportation and #2, they won't SLOW DOWN in both MPH Speed, and they could be car pooling, or doing other conservative measures to REDUCE spending on gas which keeps INFLATION HIGH. I take care of my used car and small pick-up work truck. I don't need a new one, because the TV Commercial puts the idea in my head. I conserve my money, and although the stock market has adjusted, I still hold on to stocks, that either I know will come back in value, like Apple and Microsoft, or I am holding onto high dividend yield stocks, and just sitting on my cash until the market settles lower, then I will make very conservative small incremental purchases. I believe Americans have to adjust their spending habits, just like we had to and continue to learn how to live with Covid, and now Monkey Pox. We can't pretend like we had money coming in like before Covid. We can't spend and consume, just like BEFORE COVID. Of course I'm pro President Biden. He has slowly and CONTINUALLY working to promote good programs for both United States and the World. He works at creating Bi-Partisan programs, so everyone will benefit. Ukraine is a very unfortunately expense, for the US and Europe. Regardless, President Biden has moved us and our economy forward while at the same time moving us more in the inevitable direction of sustainable energy resources. We should have listened to Jimmy Carter back in the late 70's but big oil, and their money, (incredible profits; I can't believe their audacity to post their record profits of 13.9 BILLION), which has blocked through the decades R&D toward GREEN Energy. And now look at the cost of rebuilding communities with horrific storms, floods and fires which destroy the earth, not to mention loss of lives. I believe we all need to help out, be better stewards of our money and resources. Become better educated, make education more affordable, do something about our out of control spending. Encourage the un-educated, less fortunate to have smaller families, which puts themselves into debt, and yes, levy taxes on those who can afford to pay them. Create incentives to invest in GREEN ENERGY, improve our infrastructure to be able to withstand the STORMS AND WEATHER WHICH WE KNOW IS HERE TO STAY. And finally get a hold on run-away economic and societal problems. Stop blaming, and become a productive contributor, and come up with solutions by modifying our behaviors and in effect slow down our ridiculous demand for goods and services which we really don't need and can't afford. Look for Candidates who will support these GOOD IDEAS, and GET OUT AND VOTE. Look what WOMEN were able to recently pull off in the state of Kansas, and get Women's Rights on the Ballot. I'm impressed Ladies; you have shown us the power you have. And if we can continue to show that same power and direction in other states, we can make sure Roe v Wade will be back to stay. AND show Clarence Thomas, that he better not even go near LGBTQ Rights; and Clarence, you forgot to attack INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE. Did you and Ginnie purposely forget that one. Sorry for the rant, but People, lets get our Government to do THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, and not move in the direction of a small minority of White Christian Men who want a Utopia all of THEIR OWN MAKING! MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED AND GET OUT AND VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO WILL PROMOTE THE WILL OF ALL THE PEOPLE.
I love what you wrote. All the people, all of us this time.
Side note (not intended as a snide note): Paragraphs are your friend. I am dyslexic with an astigmatism and more than 50 lines in a single paragraph hurts my brain and my eyes. I probable read several lines 4 or 5 times and missed some others, I am certain.
Dear Ally House, and everyone that reads this. I sincerely apologize for my formatting, and not breaking up my post into paragraphs. I was emotional, never intended to go on so long.
Yes I should have broken up the paragraphs. I also use another platform, that when you hit enter, (I double space for paragraphs, not indent), it automatically ends and sends out the post.
I will use your advice, as I should have and make it easier for ALL of us to read. Thank You for correcting me. Thanks to education, I am open to any and all constructive criticism.
And to everyone, I sincerely appreciate all the positive, supportive feedback I received. I was not expecting that. I was simply expressing my feelings and opinions regarding our President Biden based upon all the news, info and actions I see occurring with our government and around the world. Thank You very much.
Yes, Yes, I say. Rant worth your passion. It appears to me that the criticisms from the right are not about what he proposed, promised, and is trying to achieve, but that he is not pursuing what yhey alluded to wanting done were they is power. An impossible position. Bipartisanship is, thusly, enacting legislation they write.
Thank you so very much for the background on how income tax came about. I admit I had not a clue but found it so very interesting that “back then” the population wanted to pay more to support the war effort. Would happen now……don’t think so.
I am always amazed (though I shouldn’t be) how you can tie yesterdays to the present. It makes the present so much clearer and makes me a much more informed person. Thank you .
Hope being that this arrived early you are able to have a “early” night.
So many good things happened today. Yet, although the new jobs numbers, lower unemployment and lower gas prices were mentioned on the evening news (CBS & NBC), several minutes were devoted to anchor blathering and citizen interviews about the horrors of inflation. Hmph!
At least PBS had some good news. With Repub Brooks and Dem Capehart agreeing that the current administration and President Biden, are working for the people with major achievements in investment in Clean Energy and past gun legislation and Chips and Medical. I love that Brooks said, “But if we had a normal Republican Party, you would get a bunch of Republican votes for this thing.” Impressive achievements in the Biden Administration. Watch the video:
I noticed that and muted it. The R candidate for governor here in Oregon has an ad out about a hidden sales tax put in by Kate Brown and the Ds. Oops, we have no sales tax in Oregon, so that is BS.
They will say anything, no matter the level of deceit, to get elected. And don't get me started on Betty Johnson, whose TV ads would make classic parodies on Saturday Night Live.
I call her Machine Gun Betsy. Her ads have been on since before the primary and there is one every night. Both she and the R drive by the homeless mess while Tina's ad shows her actually at sites and helping. She has a plan...the other two have nothing but talk.
For years I have followed Oregon politics pretty closely. I admire Betsy's gumption. She has often voted things out of committee for the "good of the process", and I find that admirable. But I also watched her disrupt and sidetrack Senate process, along with certain of the extreme right wing of the Republicans (the Oregon R party is in serious disarray). When Betsy announced for governor, it didn't surprise me. She is an angry person, and goes for broke when she is pissed off (which is a lot of the time).
I think Tina will get in. She's made mistakes but she owns them, and she has done one hell of a job getting the Oregon house to actually do some work and work *together* while they are doing it. That's saying something these days. She sometimes comes across as brittle, but she is anything but. She simply cares too much, and tries to keep it from getting in the way of getting the right things done. Betsy can't do that.
Nice analysis. And yes, she has aided and abetted the Rs here. She knew she had no chance as a D, so is running as an I. I see her taking votes from the R. So far Tina is the only one who has not shown us the mess on the streets (like we don't see that every day), but talking with the houseless, working with some projects, and having an actual plan. In her ad she is not brittle at all, but soft spoken and to the point without mention of Betsy or the R. No awful pictures of them either. The ads against Betsy on Facebook are mostly about her work with Timber Unity which I also read an article about this week, and there is some disunity there. Also this week this is an article about hateful postings by a long time aide of hers. She claims to know nothing, but she has spent much time this person, so has to know the biases.
Fox and MSM found a way to criticize Biden for the great jobs numbers. The White House - and everyone else - had been wrong not to predict them. Plus, jobs may be increasing and inflation going down BUT, horror of horrors, wages are still going up.
Don't forget that people are still bleating about "lazy people unwilling to work". No, all of the folks that used to work for less than peanuts in the hospitality industry were able to find other employment. Sorry your favorite restaurant has to close early/for a day because of "staff shortage".
I read recently "If your business model calls for paying people less than a living wage, there is something wrong with your business." I also had a friend post a meme that "told a story" of a man who goes about his day with all the conveniences of things manufactured outside the US and then returns home after an unsuccessful day of finding a job (never mind that the people that they bleat about not working do not own German made cars, drink French wine, or have fancy watches or computers) and then comments that by not "buying American" the person has created their own problem. I commented that rather than chide the man for not buying American, they should be asking the manufacturers why they moved manufacturing overseas and cut the part of the economy where a person could work in manufacturing, support a family, and have a pension. Crickets.
Not only that, but complaints about wages going up routinely ignore the wages that actually have gone up obscenely - namely, the gargantuan increases in pay for corporate CEO's. A significant part of inflation is driven by price increases due not to increased costs, not to increased wages, but to sheer greed and opportunism skimpily hidden by general inflation. Senate Republicans are of course blocking any legislation against this sort of thing.
An economist interviewed by Politics Girl this week did say that the administration is working against high meat prices by helping additional companies break into the meat processing industry. Many industries get away with profiteering and what amounts to price collusion because there are only a few companies dominating the market.
I know that this comment is simplistic and a bit off the wall and not one an economist would make, but where does McConnell think that the money has been coming for flood relief in Kentucky?
This GOP obsession about taxes killing corporations, 'makers and takers'...blah blah. Realize that 35% of US stock market is owned by foreign nationals, up from 3% in 1965. Thus, 35 cents of every dollars paid out in dividends etc. is going overseas and never taxed, instead of to the United States Treasury or the account of an American who MAYBE will pay taxes.
I am fascinated by the idea that the general population in the 1860s understood the effects of a deficit on the security of the nation--because I don't think most citizens today do. What has changed? Of course, borrowing has become a part of life for many, especially low and middle income homeowners. But were other nations more stringent about collecting debt payments (for many different reasons)? Were there fewer national reserves (and what were those reserves at that time?) Is part of the difference the gold standard? Was the press more expository about the issue? Whereas the implication is that patriotism for this new country is at the heart, and remembering that people at that time still had living parents and grandparents who had fought for independence, I think there are volumes that could be written about the interpretations HCR has set forth tonight.
Something else to consider is how Elizabethan Poor Laws shaped how we, as a people, respond(ed) to debtors and the poor. We have long been a harsh nation when it comes to those less fortunate. Calvinism frowns on the poor.
I read somewhere, I think it was the book White Trash, that the English viewed North America as a large work house. I am now reading a book on Victorian England and the people who laid the groundwork for modern Britain. One of the problems then was the people moving to cities to work in factories and they lived in deplorable conditions. The government was worried about revolutions which had taken place in France and also in the middle of the 19th century in various countries in Europe. So, one of the first reforms was to get rid of the Corn Laws. Then finally there was an expansion of the franchise to some members of the working class and efforts to provide education, museums, libraries, etc. It is very detailed and it's a wonder that anything got done with all the egos battling it out.
“And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!” cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. “Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse! And bide the end!”
“Have they no refuge or resource?” cried Scrooge.
“Are there no prisons?” said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. “Are there no workhouses?” Christmas Carol
I was given tickets to this play one year by my employer. Each year we went afterwards. Then, we went to UNOs nearby for pizza as served up by UW students, some with the spiked and purple hair. It was the atmosphere of Madison, WI. Their schools would take them to Spring Green to the American Players theater for Shakespearian plays. Life was good . .
That is one of the most powerful things written. (It also happens to be my favorite Christmas movie; with George C. Scott playing Scrooge.) I'd love to see this as a play.
Back 1860s they welcomed vegan Impossible sausages at Cracker Barrel because they remembered the shortage of meat sausages and thought perhaps another shortage was looming?
I agree that the consequences of default created a fear of debt, but the laws concerned penalties for individuals, not nations that simply would extract more from its citizens. Was the populace at the time aware that banks were the primary lenders to the government?
Back then there was no Federal Reserve (created to be the Lender of Last Resort in 1913). Runs on banks were not uncommon, uninsured and resulted in depositor's loss. The Bank Panic of 1907 was stopped only when J.P. Morgan (the man) famously gathered and locked all the NYC Trust and bankers in his library and would not let anyone leave until all agreed to to lend to the other to end the liquidity crisis. Here is a brief history of bank panics by Federal Reserve. https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/banking-panics-of-the-gilded-age
Thank you. Most Americans born in the latter half of the 20th Century are ignorant of the wild economic fluctuations the US has experienced throughout its history.
That would be nice, but.....Bernie & Progressives are already publicly ranting about "lost opportunity" of a Democratic unified government--as though the Dems has supermajorities in both Houses of Congress instead of razor thin margins in the House and a 50-50 Senate. Primarying sitting Dems and Progressives running against Trumpists is not going to end well.
Totally agree. That's why am so PO'd Bernie, AOC, et al are trashing Biden's deals. AOC + 3 voted against the Infrastructure Bill -- great way to split the Dem voters
Some of today's Republicans reacted to the July Jobs Report by saying the data was .....FAKE! They cite, of all things, the fact that many businesses are still seeking help. Is that not an indicator of a labour shortage, rather than of a job shortage?
Manchen got some support for fossil fuels. Sinema got preservation of tax benefit for the already super rich. In exchange, the people got the first serious legislation to fight global warming and a 15% baseline Corporate tax and a tax on corporate stock buybacks. That is classic distribution of pork to grease the passage of critical legislation.
If you want to know what "Republican Economics" are, allow Vice President Alexander Stevens of the Confederate States of America to explain "Southernomics" as he did in his famous "Cornerstone Speech on March 12, 1861:
"Allow me briefly to allude to some of these improvements. The question of building up class interests, or fostering one branch of industry to the prejudice of another under the exercise of the revenue power, which gave us so much trouble under the old constitution, is put at rest forever under the new. We allow the imposition of no duty with a view of giving advantage to one class of persons, in any trade or business, over those of another. All, under our system, stand upon the same broad principles of perfect equality. Honest labor and enterprise are left free and unrestricted in whatever pursuit they may be engaged. This old thorn of the tariff, which was the cause of so much irritation in the old body politic, is removed forever from the new.
"Again, the subject of internal improvements, under the power of Congress to regulate commerce, is put at rest under our system. The power, claimed by construction under the old constitution, was at least a doubtful one; it rested solely upon construction. We of the South, generally apart from considerations of constitutional principles, opposed its exercise upon grounds of its inexpediency and injustice. Notwithstanding this opposition, millions of money, from the common treasury had been drawn for such purposes. Our opposition sprang from no hostility to commerce, or to all necessary aids for facilitating it. With us it was simply a question upon whom the burden should fall. In Georgia, for instance, we have done as much for the cause of internal improvements as any other portion of the country, according to population and means. We have stretched out lines of railroads from the seaboard to the mountains; dug down the hills, and filled up the valleys at a cost of not less than $25,000,000. All this was done to open an outlet for our products of the interior, and those to the west of us, to reach the marts of the world. No State was in greater need of such facilities than Georgia, but we did not ask that these works should be made by appropriations out of the common treasury. The cost of the grading, the superstructure, and the equipment of our roads was borne by those who had entered into the enterprise. Nay, more not only the cost of the iron no small item in the aggregate cost was borne in the same way, but we were compelled to pay into the common treasury several millions of dollars for the privilege of importing the iron, after the price was paid for it abroad. What justice was there in taking this money, which our people paid into the common treasury on the importation of our iron, and applying it to the improvement of rivers and harbors elsewhere? The true principle is to subject the commerce of every locality, to whatever burdens may be necessary to facilitate it. If Charleston harbor needs improvement, let the commerce of Charleston bear the burden. If the mouth of the Savannah river has to be cleared out, let the sea-going navigation which is benefited by it, bear the burden. So with the mouths of the Alabama and Mississippi river. Just as the products of the interior, our cotton, wheat, corn, and other articles, have to bear the necessary rates of freight over our railroads to reach the seas. This is again the broad principle of perfect equality and justice, and it is especially set forth and established in our new constitution."
Sounds a lot like what you hear from the Confederate White People's Treason Party today, eh?
All that progress that happened in the Civil War - the fair taxation, the land grant colleges, the homestead act, the transcontinental railroad, were not new ideas. They'd been around awhile. But before 1861, they were always stopped by the South. Remove the 11 traitor states, and progress happens.
I'll bet if you removed the same 11 traitor states (maybe throw in Okielahoma and Missouri), you could have the same kind of progress today. The South brings nothing worthwhile to the union.
Also, if you have any doubts the Civil War was only about slavery, allow VP Stevens to educate you to reality:
A progressive tax seems to be the answer to many problems. In the 50s we were a prosperous nation with a growing middle class and a 90% top bracket. Why not go back to what worked? This Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln. They abandoned that a long time ago, and with it they abandoned the American people.
They have abandoned the idea of a democracy totally and thanks to death star, have crawled out from under the rocks to say and do heinous things. There seems to be a contest for who can be the most unfeeling and monstrous. I did laugh at an article about The Cracker Barrel adding a non meat option. Now they are "woke" according to the dimwits who love their biscuits and gravy, greasy breakfasts, fried foods, etc. and who wonder why they have health problems. I mean, don't order it. Full disclosure, I do eat meat, but buy it locally from small farmers for the most part. I grew up the midwest where quantity seems to trump quality for many people.
OMG, the Cracker Barrel Scandal! I laughed so hard I cried! Full disclosure: I love biscuits and gravy; my husband makes 99.9% of the sausage we eat, from scratch, and I make the biscuits.
I knew someone here would love biscuits and gravy....I don't think I have ever had that. I do love pancakes, bacon and eggs, etc. I like the idea of home made sausage too and I do love biscuits, but seldom bake. We have a booth here at the Saturday Market called Scratch Meats (I think that's what it called). They make wonderful sausage and we have some in the freezer. I bet your biscuits and gravy is far superior to Cracker Barrel biscuits and gravy. I did grow up with creamed chipped beef on toast which was a regular item at our house.
Greetings Animal Protein fads,
Until I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and had my come to Jesus moment, I loved that breakfast concoction too. Then at sixty-eight years old, I had few options, so we changed our nutritional underpinnings and became non-animal protein vegans. It was quite an adjustment for two meat and spuds eating Irish folk. We lost a lot of excess fat weight, lower all the lipid level bio-markers and changed our behavior about eating anything with a face! I still eventually had to get the quintuple coronary bypass surgery so that I wouldn’t die from CAD, but I believe the conversion saved my life - seven years ago.
JPD
I stopped eating garbage 20 years ago. Had my annual physical the end of June. Blood glucose 80; cholesterol 155; BP 120/65; weight 5lbs more than age 18 (a loooong time ago); PSA 0.95 (down from 6.9 when I started treatment back in 2007. Since I didn't get mauled by a bear like my sixth great grandfather, or stick a piece of uranium in the front pocket of my work pants for a week like my father, the chances are excellent I will live into my 90s with "all systems go" like the other six generations of males in my line I have records on.
I only wish all the MAGAts would have their massive fatal myocardial infarctions sooner than later and Make America Great Again - permanently.
Go TC
Great numbers! I was actually thinking of some of relatives in the midwest when I made that comment. Some of them are grossly overweight. My niece posts pictures of food items that look like a heart attack waiting to happen. One of my nephews already had one that almost killed him, but still smokes as far as I can tell. He is thin, but not because he eats well.
You said it, I didn't , but the thought has crossed my mind a time or two.
Cheers.
👏🏼👏🏼😁😁
Several years ago my brother-in-law suffered a heart attack. He was in his early forties, I think. So he was put on a strict diet by his doctors, which kept him out of "trouble." Sitting at a restaurant one day, a couple of us ordered steak with all the fixins', someone else ordered fried chicken, still another a big ol' juicy hamburger w/ fries. My brother-in-law ordered skinless baked chicken with broccoli, and lemon on the side. After our server left the table, there was a slight lull in the conversation. I looked over at my brother-in-law and said, "You sure are gonna miss us when we're gone!"
Here's hoping Cracker Barrel gains many more diners to replace the un-woke crowd!
“You sure are gonna miss us when we’re gone!” Now THAT must have been hilarious and brought the table some looks at the eruption of laughter!
🤣❤️👏 Hysterical. I have to admit, not once have I crossed the threshold of a CB.
JPD, I'm glad you're here to tell us your story! Stay well.
Glad you're doing so well after all those difficult changes!
Congrats to you JPD!!! This Nurse Practitioner is proud of you both!!
Kudo's!! Used to work in an open-heart unit in California and I appreciate what you went through, being on the other end. CABG has come a long way since those days with stents, etc. Keep up the good work.
J.P. - I just started reading a book by Mark Bittman called VB6- Vegan Before Six. He champions a vegan diet for breakfast and lunch and then allows meat at dinner.
He includes lots on info on the benefits of veganism from personal health to planetary health. What I really like is that he has a lot of quick and easy recipes and tips on making things in bulk, plus creative ways to use leftovers.
Sharon, interesting book. I just downloaded it and started skimming it. One of the things I've eaten all my life, and am glad to see Bittman mention, is savory cooked cereals rather than sweet (I personally have never liked sweet cereals cooked or otherwise). Even as a kid I would put butter and pepper on hot cereal and leave the brown sugar or maple syrup to my siblings.
This is true for many people, so it makes sense for a restaurant to offer a non-meat option. We don't load up on meat and do veg options often. My LMT fishes and we often have bounty of the sea from him. This week we had no meat, but some dairy. Since my spouse also has a heart condition and had quad bypass surgery among other things a few years ago, I do most of our cooking from scratch and do not add salt unless I happen to bake which is rare.
Wish I had become a vegetarian many years ago. I sort of did since I don’t like meat, but had to cook it for meat-eating man. Hubby and I could share one meal often, Jack Sprat style
In 2002 I read an article by Michael Pollan in the NY Times Magazine https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/31/magazine/power-steer.html
in which he tells the story of his purchase of a steer who was destined for slaughter in the meat industry. His purpose in buying the steer was journalistic: he wanted to see first hand what the meat industry was like. After reading the article, I decided not to eat red meat or pork (generally not a part of my diet anyway) any more, and have mostly stuck to that decision ever since. Both the animals and I are happier for it. The only time I eat beef is if it is served when I am invited for a meal. I do eat poultry and fish. As a consequence, when, a few years later I had a carotid artery ultrasound because of a swelling on my neck, the technologist said I had the carotids of a 30-year-old (I was 69 at the time). Unfortunately I had thyroid cancer, which was treated by surgery, and here I am many years later, still apparently healthy. A come to Jesus moment indeed.
My moment was a little more personal. I was with a friend and his 6-year old son out at the Chino airshow, back in the days when the airport was still surrounded by dairy farms. We were leaving and the boy saw a corral with cows in it and wanted to see them, so his dad drove over and we got out and went to the corral. The cows were all on the far side of the corral, but when we showed up first one and then another until finally all of them came over to check us out. My friend told his son it was because they thought we would feed them. But it suddenly struck me that they did that because they were curious. And curiosity is a sign of intelligence. And with that realization, after thinking about it for a week, I changed my diet. My doctor told me when I did my last annual physical that a 50 year old would be happy to have my stats.
So, so glad to hear this! And, think of all the good you are doing to combat climate change! Yes, I was a devotee of Cracker Barrell and Bob Evans (bring on the Sunrise Skillet!!), until my medical records listed me as obese....so, I commend you !
Stay healthy.
You know what the other name for "creamed chipped beef on toast" is?
Sht On A Shingle, or as we used to call it in the Navy, "SOS." I haven't had any of that since the week before I got out, and I never will.
I grew up hearing that from my dad, and he felt the same way!
My mother made that exactly once and was utterly revolted by it; being about five, I didn't hesitate to say so.
My dad loved Sh*t on a Shingle (WWII vet). To this day I'll make it one in a while as a comfort food treat, though I fancy mine tastes a bit better than was served in the army.
A. nice beef/lamb/feral pig stew on toast - fantastic! - we do demean great delights with shitty names ... SPAM SPAM SPAM and eggs with SPAM. (no, I don't much like spam).
Yeah but SOS was good😊
Yes, I am aware of the alternate name. I grew up late 40s and 50s, so it was common fare. I heard the name from people who served in the military which my father did not do. His job was classified as essential to the war effort....the place made shell casings.
So heartbreaking.
OMG, creamed chip beef on toast. We had that a lot when I was a kid too! I loved that. Just so you know, I only make biscuits and gravy a couple times a year and always with sliced tomatoes on the side.
I think I loved it too, but have never fixed it or had it since. People of a certain age had this experience. We have had a couple BLTs this summer after tomatoes became ripe. Mine are taking their time, but I am about to make ratatouille with garden produce that I have picked. No meat in that and I will freeze it for later when it is cooler.
BLTs fresh from the garden, nothing finer. We were the children of depression babies. A little tiny bit of meat stretched with a gravy would fill a lot of bellies. My grandparents passed their thrifty ways onto my parents.
Yes, Daria, when I was a kid we had chipped beef on toast for dinner often. I loved it, and imagine I might still. But I'm not about to test that idea. 🤣
Yeah, Pam, I really am not in the market for a little jar of super salty meat these days either! And it was usually a dinner food at my house too.
I think if you have something healthy like tomatoes on the side it doesn't really count as biscuits and gravy
I totally agree.
😹😹😹
My college job was serving food in a women's dorm (where I also lived). Believe me, SOS was not a popular item on the menu, though I'm sure the finance office liked it--very, very inexpensive dish! I don't think I've eaten it since then.
I have a feeling my mother's creamed chip beef was a bit different from your dorm's chipped beef. For starters, she made a proper bechamel sauce.😉
My preference is on mashed potatoes w/shredded Cheddar mixed in and adding peas on top.
Well, that sounds delicious. I adore mashed potatoes, cheddar & peas!
Ok- I gotta get in on the biscuit conversation! If you think Cracker Barrel biscuits are biscuits, then you’ve never had biscuits! Biscuits should be tall and fluffy on the inside, lightly brown and tender- crisp on the outside. When ever I have had them at CB they are flat and undercooked- mushy on the inside. I vowed off CB 10 years ago. Being woke won’t even bring me back! Lol!!
Oops sorry - weren’t we talking about the history of taxation and the amazing week Biden has had??
Happy Saturday!!
Sorry I did start the biscuit conversation, but the CB brouhaha made me laugh. I did imagine the the CB biscuits wouldn't pass muster.
Do you have a good recipe for baking powder biscuits you can share?
Yes I do! Let me know if you make these!
Sharon’s Buttermilk Biscuits
Comfort food at its best. Warm fresh-from-the-oven biscuits! All you need is a little butter and jam or honey. Biscuits will keep for...well, never mind. You won’t have to worry about that.
* 6 T very cold butter, grated
* 2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour (don't use self-rising flour)
* 1 t salt
* 2 t baking powder
* 1 c buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450.
1. After grating the butter, place in the freezer to keep cool.
2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and whisk together well.
3. Get butter from the freezer stir in a bit at a time until incorporated. 4.
4. Make a well in the center and add buttermilk. Stir until just combined, it will look wet at this point but don’t over-mix.
5. Dump onto a well-floured surface and gently flatten and fold 5 or 6 times. The folding is what gives you a flaky biscuit. Use more flour if it starts getting sticky, but don’t ever do-it (you’ll learn with practice just how much flour to use)
6. Gently roll out about 3/4” thick and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Gather dough and gently roll out and cut out more biscuits.
7. Place in a pan or a cast-iron skillet with sides of biscuits touching.
8. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
King Arthur Flour and Sally's Baking Addiction both have good biscuit recipes. I've used both and mix white and whole wheat flour 50/50. Have fun, it's a great way to celebrate a great week for both the President and the country.
LOL
Ahhh, Chipped Beef on Toast!! Does take me back...
Haven't heard the words in ages or eaten it since I was a child.
S*** on a Shingle is the beef equivalent of Biscuits and gravy which, for the record, I like too. Local sourced is the way to go and it's often sustainably produced and organic just without the expensive certification.
Agree, locally sourced is best. We use primarily locally sourced meat. We grind our own beef for hamburger, make all of our own sausage. We don't put any preservatives or additives in what we make, so we're not earing someone else's mystery concoction. We make our own pastas and breads as well.
Kudos. I have never made pasta, but used to make bread. We just stood in line for the local bakery (Albany OR) which does fine bread. Market opens at nine. We were there at 8 and the line was already curling around to the next aisle. Picked up some veggies and fruit too.
That's awesome. I haven't tried pasta yet but have been baking my own bread for years. I've ground beef from time to time and like being able to control the fat content and flavor profile although I've cut back recently due to the absurd prices for beef. I haven't found a good local source although I'm sure there's one around. Just finished eating a locally grown peach; summer is wonderful even when the humidity is high.
When we buy meat, it is locally sourced and sustainably produced which gives it a better nutritional profile. I do love heritage pork and we will buy some pork chops at the Saturday Market this am.
Usually gives it better flavor too. Enjoy the chops.
When I lived in eastern N.C. I was privy to some hilarious stories. A yankee ordered breakfast in this small town restaurant.
You want grits with those eggs?
No, I would like home fries.
You eat grits or you get out.
LOL. I do love grits and prefer them to home fries.
Hi Nancy,
When we began doing the 6&6 lifestyle between MA and FL, we learned about grits and how wonderful good grits tasted with a pat of butter melted on them and then mixed with your sunny side-up egg yolk. Those were the pre-vegan dairy days before coronary artery disease and a desire to live longer intervened by not piling on a lot of animal protein to clog up our vascular system further.
For thé first six months after the vegan conversion, we’d whine, "Damn, I really miss those breakfasts with grits and biscuits. " Eventually, the craving for the fat in the dairy products subsided, but thé craving has been described by some folks as being as difficult and quitting smoking or alcohol.
Looking back, it is not the beef, pork or lamb that we really miss. It’s the grilled cheese or fried egg sandwich for lunch or thé hard boiled eggs in the potato salad. It’s interesting what different vegans recall fondly when they get together and start that memory lane discussion about their likes and dislikes before their conversion.
Most primary care docs don’t even have the dietary discussion with their overweight patients any longer because the docs know from experience that converting anyone to a plant based nutritional program is close to impossible, so the docs don’t go there. The docs know the science, but the majority of them ignore it too. Most converted vegans have had a medical slap upside the head that causes their reassessment to occur. When the cardiologist says something like, "You have multiple coronary blockages in your heart that may cause a major adverse coronary event (MACE) at any time, so you should consider every option to stabilize your lifestyle or begin getting your affairs in order.." only a dope doesn’t listen carefully.
JPD
Eggs and cheese are my Achille's heel.
😂
Creamed chipped beef on toast!!...I grew up in Pa. Passed that traditilon on to my kids.
Michele, if you ever made creamed chipped beef you can make sausage gravy! I think mine tops what restaurants make.
I haven't and I don't think I have ever made gravy of any kind either. On Thanksgiving, we share with our neighbors and she always makes the gravy.
It is really easy! I learned very fast after I got married in 1961! I fixed mashed potatoes....and didn't make gravy! After that experience...I learned! uquet Milk gravies you use flour and milk and it is best with the drippings from fried meats. Brown gravy you use corn starch and broth from roasted meat, beef boulillon cubes and I add Kitchen Bouquet to get a rich brown color. These items I only make for company which is not very often!
It's easy, and the second time you make it will be great; the first time is sometimes best viewed as a learning experience.
Most restaurants make theirs by opening a can; the only place to find really good biscuits and gravy is in a place where they save the grease from cooking their morning bacon and sausage and use that as the base for their gravy. If they make their own sausage that's a bonus. Then it's just a matter of how much pepper you like and how fluffy your biscuits are. I don't doubt for a minute that yours are better because anyone who says they're proud of the food they cook usually has good reason.
I too like the IDEA of home made sausage, but full disclosure requires the confession that I'm from Georgia and Alabama. I love the sausage and biscuits my mama made hut in a pinch I'll any old trashy version that's available. Really, where s&b are concerned, worse is better--look for doughy biscuits and tasteless gravy. Heaven.
p.s. I haven't heard anybody mention cream chipped beef on toast in a long time. Delicious. And how about pigs and blankets. My grandmother made those as a special treat6.
And let me play checkers or the golf tee wooden triangle at the table or look at the old fashioned games and candy in their store while I wait for my plant based sausage to be served next to pancakes bigger than a dinner plate.
Hahahahahahahahaha. My kids have fond memories of stopping at Cracker Barrels on road trips. But now the Cracker Barrel is “woke”so pass them by for McDonalds. There are plenty laughing at this one!
Salud, fab Daria. 🗽
OK, people. My husband and I love ourselves an occasional Cracker Barrel breakfast. Just because CB has many “unhealthy” choices doesn’t mean you have to eat them and all in the same sitting. Everything in moderation…
"Everything in moderation," including moderation.
I just love their waffles. Once a year or so, usually at a horse show in Kentucky, for dinner on a day when we don’t need to drown our sorrows!
Christine, right? Load up on stick candy to counteract the goodness of a sodium loaded plant-based sausage patty...every cardiologists nightmare,😉
Salud, my dear Christine!
"every cardiologists nightmare" or dream, if you're a cardiologist who wants to make easy $$?
DAMN Daria! Not only are you WOKE but you also eat SAUSAGE??? 😂😂😂
They're definitely not "woke" when it comes to religion or LGBTQ+ people. I will never ever eat at a Cracker Barrel. Or a Chik-fil-A, which pretends to be inclusive and actually is the same toxic combination of homophobe and antisemite in its ownership (and I have advocated for removing them from my university's on-campus food options but apparently the fact that they won't hire LGBTQ+ people and are unpleasant to people whose religious perspectives are different from management's aren't enough for them to lose their contract). They are the Hobby Lobby of the commercial food world.
Agreed. As a member of the LGBTQ community, frequently the best I can do is vote with my wallet. And I most assuredly do. No Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-a, Cracker Barrel. Although I admit, if it’s the only restaurant available, as has sometimes been the case, I will eat when I’m traveling. But I really try to avoid supporting them. Same with Wal-Mart but for different reasons. I think they contributed more than any one company in hollowing out the American middle class with their insistence on lower and lower prices, encouraging companies to move overseas. Would they have done it anyway? Maybe, but I think Wal-Mart accelerated it before people fully realized what was happening. And then we come to taxes!! The tax code encouraged our jobs to leave our shores! What kind of idiot politicians thought THAT was a good idea?! I’m a tax auditor so don’t even get me started!
Dianna I have the same feeling about WalMart. I hate them--because as the Walton family became billionaires, they handed new employees applications for food stamps because they paid so little the suckers were eligible for them. So the Walton family (WalMart is a privately held company) has become filthy rich by abusing the subsidy system and enriching themselves on the backs of poor people. But of COURSE they spend millions supporting the worst kind of right wing nut candidates because they rely on Democratic initiatives to enrich themselves but god forbid they should pay taxes. I lived for too long in an area where I was forced to be a Walmart customer, unless I wanted to drive 100 miles each way to get better options. I am happy to live in a city where WalMart has been banned by law from opening stores in the middle of the city--they are restricted to the city edge and the suburbs. I wish Home Depot had been the same, but at the time they acquired their midtown location, the city was desperate (but not enough to open the space to the Waltons). And, weirdly, our local HD employs almost all underrepresented minorities (including nonbinary people) in the midtown store--although the suburban ones are whiter than white of course. So even though the politics of the HD ownership and management is appalling, here in KC they actually support our community. But I still hate shopping there.
WMT, current price 126.58. Definitely not privately held.
I am a former HD guy. Back in the day, it had a very positive culture. Then the founders walked away and handed it to the bean counters. There were three founders. Arthur was a Democrat, Bernie a Republican, as was Ken. Ultimately, Ken renounced TFG, but Bernie has gone fascist. Until year 2000, HD was retail nirvana for employees and customers. Now, it's just another big store.
My husband works at a local hardware store, part of a smallish CA chain. One of his coworkers had worked at HD but was terminated when he left his aisle to walk a customer to the aisle where the item they needed, at the other end of the store, was located. The customer could find no one else on the floor. Terrible customer service and horrible working conditions for employees. Thank goodness I never need to go to HD again!
On the subject of Walmart they can be heard loudly condemning the welfare state and all the "welfare queens" (just another racist trope) while at the same time, they pay such low wages that their employees can't afford to buy groceries so they go on welfare and apply for food stamps. Talk about hypocrisy!. They are one of the major companies whose people are dependent on welfare.
I have talked to people who really prefer other fast food, but will sit in the long Chik-fil-A line to be “patriotic”. I just laugh. So ridiculous. As is the cute spelling of their name. 🗽
The opening of a Chik-fil-A in my Bay Area city was quite controversial, with protests from both sides. It was ultimately built and after several years, the traffic it creates is still considerable. My apolitical son went there after he worked out the other day and raved about the chicken sandwich and waffle fries. I sometimes think I should try it just once, but my conscience and my belief in the dignity and equity all people deserve gets the better of me. Fortunately, I don’t ever have the dilemma of having to eat at Cracker Barrel, unless I travel to TN or such, which is highly unlikely.
I’ve never eaten at one either and intend to keep that streak alive!
I will never darken their door. And normally we don't do fast food.
Couldn't agree more.... I stay far away from all you mentioned....
How does someone actually say I don't want to be awake to injustice - without essentially verifying that they LIKE injustice?
Me, I love the catfish and grits - with a ton of butter. Yum.
Those people who use the word woke as a pejorative do like injustice as long as it doesn't apply to white folks. And yes, I do like both catfish and grits, but seldom have either. After viewing the comments about the CB, I did think about grits and how I like them.
Somehow I've missed all of the kerfuffles over Cracker Barrell! But my life has been just a treasure, nonetheless ....
Well, I awoke long about 1974 and am living testimony to eating nothing but plants and their like. For nearly 50 years, and of course I weigh the same as I did 50 years ago, and without all that hair I had in high school!
Long about 20 years ago my wife and I realized how much our free ranging breakfast eggs just LOVE to be eaten with steamed vegetables and the side of gluten-free toast! Thank goodness here along the coast of Maine there are plenty of free ranging morsels!
But I have to say, I've NEVER had shell fish; no lobstah even! I pain when I see them tied together in little tanks, frightened together. I just get a sense that somehow a human ingests that horror
Well, I'm off to free range a bit, and then our stroll to the Saturday farmers market
Lobster are safe from me. They are one of the few things that I do not like.
Seriously, the backlash against The Cracker Barrel for offering non-meat options reveals how absurd the right-wing has become. Do the MAGAs not go to the doctor? Do they not have their cholesterol checked? Eating less meat, especially red meat, isn't "woke," it helps you live longer. What's next? A backlash against using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer? Or drinking scotch instead of bourbon because bourbon is made with mostly corn instead of barley?
I swear the buildup of C02 in the atmosphere is creating a decline in brain function.
Here's a fun fact for you. The Catholic Church invented the Holy Inquisition basically to use against the group they called the Cathars (aka the Albigenses), who called themselves the Perfecti, in 1215. The worst sin of the Perfecti? They were vegetarians. there were specific theological reasons for their vegetarianism (mostly because they seem to have believed in the transmigration of souls, a la Plato), but this is what sent the Catlicks into a frenzy.
These people are looking for every little thing that they can link to "woke" as it is one of those words that they love to hate even though it means being a decent person. Already they probably don't use sunscreen. I confess to being a single malt neat drinker, but only because I prefer it. The people in question probably drink Four Roses or moonshine. After dealing with my relatives in the midwest, they seem to be suspicious of anything that might be healthier.
Morning Michael,
I have a chemical conspiracy theory for this decline. Think the Romans and their lead drinking vessels. It's a cocktail of CO2 and mercury in the air mixed with equal parts lead and PFAs in the water. It all works to reduce the size of the brain so the smallest shake of the head creates concussions. I should do a YouTube and monetize this, eh? I could title it "Shaken not stirred".
LOL.
The thing that has hit the hardest at my sense of confidence and hope that we might make it through this is the cruelty. And since the Roe decision, they seem to not only have stopped trying to pretend but they seem to be prancing and bragging about it. I am, and have always been, afraid of people like that. Of all people, George Will published an article today about fascism and comparing Mussolini and Putin. One line has stuck with me all day. "Fascism isn't violent; Fascism is violence." We see that in nearly every corner of our world. TFG was a caricature of the weak man in love with violence. What I'm afraid of is that we have finally caught up with where we started. Can a nation founded in genocide with a long love affair with cowboys and gangsters and a concept of manhood that is both shaky and aggressive, come through intact? Not too very long ago I would have said there was a good chance. Today I would't say there's no chance but we will need the passion we just saw in Kansas every single day for a long time. I'm a very old political warrior and my health keeps me mostly in my apartment, but signed on for one more fight the day I watched what that group of old white men did to Justice Brown.
From one old warrior to another, let's give it all we got until we can't. What strikes me about all these "weak" and frightened gangsters is just how shallow they are. How little depth of compassion. How they act like wounded tigers. How afraid they are of truth. How hollow their hearts are. They remind me of the zombies on The Walking Dead.
The film that gets at the essence of the poisoned masculinity in our peculiar culture is on Netflix, "The Power of the Dog."
An unusually revealing film. Good example, for sure.
Cumberbatch extended his acting range and Smit-McPhee was haunting.
Yes and just as film making it really was flawless. I don't think I found a single imperfection and I watched it three times. Every single scene, every detail of cinematography, dialogue (or the absence of), acting, music, was co-ordinated precisely. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite like it. Reading commentary from all the people involved with putting it together is amazing. I dom't know if you watched it more than once but the first time I was caught completely off guard by the ending. The second time I saw this incredible trail of clues that led straight to the conclusion. To this day I don't know how I missed them. But the big thing about the film, of course, is the most courageous and intricate depiction of a particularly American reality and one that is so encompassing that too many of the people who ought to know better (and do know better) support or bend to this horrid authoritarian rule because the chest-baring pathetic masculinity looks like an effective maleness and because they are afraid of any hint of ambiguity in their own. It's a toxic mix and hard to tease apart all the threads that got us here.
Dean, thoughtful, truthful post.
I must have missed that story about Cracker Barrel! Did someone really call it “woke” to introduce a non meat option!? Years ago a colleague brought me to a Cracker Barrel and I couldn’t find anything on the menu I could eat.
When they announced the non meat option, you would think the world had ended. The howling has been long and loud when all these people have to do is not order it. I don't think I have ever darkened the door of a Cracker Barrel. Some people here this week camped out to await the opening of Chik-Fil-A in Salem. Puke.
I don’t go to any of these places. Not a big fan of chain restaurants.
We try to do always do local.
Heaven forbid a child plays with a non-binary Potato Head at a Cracker Barrel!
LOL.
But of course they did. Sigh.
I think I ate at a Cracker Barrel once when away for training with a co-worker who was crazy for their menu. (He died of a massive heart attack at age 57, up on top of his off the grid mountain cabin; his wife told me it took 5 hours for EMS to get up there in snow machines.) I will not ever eat at that f-ed up chicken "restaurant", nor will I eat at Cracker Barrel. If I want biscuits and gravy, I'll go to Black Bear Diner. I, too, buy meat from local farmers and have the bounty of a brother in law who runs a sport fishing business in Alaska, and get a good supply of free halibut every year.
Oh, there was a Black Bear Diner in Colorado Springs. Yummy. Yeah, the chicken place and cracker barrel certainly have a lot to answer for...halibut, I am jealous.
Yum, halibut. Never have been to Black Bear. Our breakfast spots are local.
Black Bear was started in Mt. Shasta in the mid 1990's, and has grown (especially in the past few years). I've eaten at the Black Bear in Wilsonville, and it is pretty darn true to the original. Karyn and I discovered it on a motorcycle trip we'd taken into California one year. They had a tri-tip salad that was fabulous. They are great about modifying dishes for food allergies/sensitivities.
Thank you for the mention of Mt. Shasta…I grew up in Dunsmuir and spent 27 of my laters years there! Black Bear was a favourite but portions really big, always ordered the senior or “lite” items.
We’d split meals!
Any in Florida?
😂😜
I don’t think so. I’ll check next time I go.
I have gotten a vegetable plate there before…. “Have they been “woke” for awhile?
I think this is a fake meat option.
Went to Cracker barrel last night. Most of the patrons were grossly overweight, many were on canes and walkers, probably in need of knee replacements doctors don't want to give them because they are so grossly overwegiht. Young people too for the most part were overweight and boy were they scarfing down the huge portions.
I am not surprised. I am from the midwest where the portions are huge. In the old days when farming was hard physical labor, people needed lots of calories to do the work. Now they don't and you observed the result. When my niece was here with my sister, she was worried that I was feeding them organic food and brown eggs...horrors.
Unfortunately I have to count myself among those fortunate to be sitting in a comfortable place commenting on the customers at Malmart and CB, but I can't let myself off the hook without saying that the weight and health problem has a deeper cause. The cheapest food at any chain supermarket is the unhealthy, fattening food. A lot of those overweight people are overweight because they can't afford the healthy stuff and have little to no access to the kind of education that would help them make choices. It's a trap for all of us in one way or another and, although I'm as poor as the proverbial church mouse, I do know how to learn enough to realize there are options. We have created a terrible maze in this culture that is practically a caste system and we just go around and around.
Agree and to me this is such a travesty. I wish good food was cheaper and more available. We are lucky to be able to afford to shop at the Saturday Market (which does accept food stamps I think) and the natural and organic food store. I don't assume everything there is healthy either, so I always read labels. It is a caste system.
Thanks, Michelle.
I liked hearing about the history of income tax and the slice of time when citizens asked to support their federal government even more by paying some more. People feeling good about doing their part….however small or big. The size of the part mattered because it represented the part they could contribute to make sure our country “worked”. You know, what they say about freedoms. We pay for our federal government structure. I liken it to a warranty. I liked hearing the story from Professor Richardson. It made me think of the pride I have felt writing the check to IRS every year or waiting for a refund. Just grateful that I contributed to this country for the fortune of being one of its citizens. When I write a check for anything, I always write “Thank you” on the memo line. I want the Universe to feel my abundance. Yep. Thank you for this Letter, Professor Richardson. Your stories are full of grace that lives in history.
Unity. 🗽
I, too, appreciate the Professor's letter on the history of taxation in the US. Taxes are an interesting thing. I have voted for every school levy that has been proposed, and I have friends who say, literally, ""you don't have kids, why do you support the schools?" My reply is "How can you not? I want the people running the government in my later years to be educated, honest people. I want the people who will be caring for me in my failing years to be as smart and creative as they can be." I do not object to paying for national defense (even as we engage in unlawful wars) and I do not object to paying for the government to run, either at the state or local level.
I fear that the only thing that could bring us back to that time where "doing my share" is patriotic is an assault on our country from without (alien invasion comes to mind) that would cause us to band together as a nation. I don't see it any other way.
I think that the word "tax" has become so toxic (taxic?) that people don't stop to think as you have done, Ally. Perhaps we should use the word "bond." We are buying bonds for our mutual home and its people. When "payroll bonds" are accounted for every year, a citizen should get a certificate showing items that they have purchased. They may even get to choose what they pay for, i.e., "defense," "health care" "sustainable energy" "infrastructure," etc. In other words, have taxation appear to have purchased something of value to the payer.
Interesting idea. Seriously.
I like that!!
It IS an investment in Democracy!
Years ago, when I was working with the PTA in my county, people who no longer had children in the schools also said, "Why should I pay taxes, I don't have kids in school." I remind them that the cycle changes for all of us. There was a time WHEN you had children in schools and those without students were paying for YOUR children. That is how society becomes united and works together for the good of all.
I love your explanation of having educated people running the government, hospitals, everything.
Agree. Agree. Agree. As usual.
Unita. 🗽
Well, said, Ally! Hope your friends see it the way you explained it to them.
Morning, Christine! I liked hearing about our early Americans treasuring (pardon the pun!) their country in this way. I can't say I ever wrote "Thank you" on the memo line, but tried to be as punctual as I could to send my check in. These days, it's done by EFT (or equivalent). Long gone are the days of the personal!
Hahahahaha. A sleeve of checks used to last a month or so. Now, I have the same sleeve that I started last year or before. But I continue to write “thank you” on the memo line even when I “pay bills” electronically through my bank. I recently was in the pet food store and there was a ruckus at the cash out line. Their system had gone down and they could only cash customers out with cash or personal check. I think I was the only one in line to pull out a checkbook and leave a check with them. People in line were 😤 or 😳. I made sure to ask my kids later if they had some cash or a paper check on them at all times. They also were….”Mom, that’s old school.” 😂😜 So much for them getting pet food in a timely fashion.
Its like clocks or cursive writing. Many young people do not have a cursive signature. Nor can tell time with automaticity from an analog clock. It’s not taught anymore. It always is in my classrooms, informal or formal.
Unita. 🗽🙋🏻🙋🏼🙋🏽🙋🏾🙋🏿
Christine! What a great way to get to the head of the line! Old school or not, I'm sure your pets were grateful for your checkbook-keeping ways!
I love my analog clocks, too. Every one of them is set to a slightly different time, off by two to three minutes, give or take. It can be quite an exercise throughout the day as I look at one and try to guess whether it's 26 minutes after the hour, on the money, or 24 minutes before the hour. (I'm easily entertained 🕝🕜🕧
Mine are the same way. One I have to set every few weeks: it has been responsible for me being late too many times. I suppose I could buy a new one, but it would have to tic-toc. I'm too used to the sound. It's kind of comforting, reminds me of my Grandpa and his old weighted mantel clock.
Hey, Annie. Just read your comment re the clocks. Made me smile in remembrance. Being retired, it doesn't much matter knowing what the exact time is, except when I want to catch one of HCR's chats on FB!
Christine, I have read that keeping one check in your wallet is a very bad idea, as if your wallet is stolen, it can be used. I think I saw that on the AARP website at one time. However, I'm glad you were able to feed your pets on time!
I finally joined what my three kids do--I have pet needs on repeat delivery. I was forced into doing so when the preferred food of my cat herd became more and more difficult to find in stock.
Same!
That is a good idea. I just checked my primary check book, and the top check in the duplicate bunch was written in November last year to pay my property taxes. I have half than bundle left.
Take that, Louie No Joy!
Christine I love your comment. Stories, that's it exactly. I start my day with Professor Richardson's stories. I am an old English teacher and a writer and I believe absolutely in the redemptive power of story. Thank you for reminding me.
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So beautifully said Christine FL! Thank you!
What is the Republican Party good for? Absolutely nothing.
Well, that's not quite true. It's adept at supporting a coup, trying to destroy democracy, lying about everything under the sun, dividing the country, trying to control women's bodies, trying to destroy the planet and in the process causing untold suffering and deaths, trying to destroy affordable health care and the social safety net, performative governance...I could go on all night. But why bother.
I hope I live to see the day that I look at campaign posters and see not one boasting “conservative Republican.” It is a sign of the traitors in our midst…
And of course Jeri, these monsters are no more conservative than I am. They are radical right-wing mobsters, bent on chaos, violence, and destruction. I sometimes think the lot of them have sold their souls to something more evil than I want to imagine. And the marriage of that ideal of government and extremists within the Evangelical Christian movement is a force that I don't even want to try to imagine. Bad all around.
The favorite slogan in this West Michigan county, where right-wingers defeated most of the competent, conservative county commissioners, is "Faith and Freedom." (Only as defined by them, of course)
Well, given the outcome of the Kansas referendum, with lots of support from independents, it's interesting to think about a new, more moderate party possibly emerging.
Then McConnel needs to croak!
I lived in Kentucky for 12 years and I can tell you that croak is what it will require. He will never be voted out.
Seriously?
Do you mean it isn't going to happen or that you think it's a bad idea?
I agree, a few TV Reps are openly saying how they are not like...it definitely is happening.
Don’t forget offering thoughts ‘n’ prayers -
Try to see it from a billionaire's perspective.
If ever I draw the winning ticket for a PowerBall billion...I'll give a go at trying that perspective thing. But I doubt I'll ever be able to work up much empathy for the dreadful struggles of billionaires having to pay their fair share of taxes.
This is kinda closer to the way I really feel.
"the dreadful struggles of billionaires having to pay their fair share of taxes"
Yeah, it's a heart-breaker.
You got me there, J L...I'll try!
Twitter had Repub after Repub last night lying about what is in the Inflation Reduction Act, including my two professional liars, Blackburn and Hagerty.
No, Michael, Please bother! Everyone should be reminded over and over….
Our home, our planet......we need to bother.
Which is why I call them the party of death.
Why not go back to what worked? Good question. If you are rich and powerful, and greedy (gotta have that combination), then the notion of spreading wealth over the entire population doesn't sound good. Nor does paying out according to ability to pay. Such a notion is not "what works" for you, even though you'd do just fine. Certainly in the short term anyway. If you are not well off and struggle to get by, if you see inequities that put you at a disadvantage, you are going to like this idea. Today, the former category is the Republicans (and there seems to be no shortage of rich powerful greedy people), and the latter category the Democrats. Just that simple. There is more - the former category, in their zeal to protect their riches, have successfully gamed the system to have more power than they ordinarily would (thanks to our imperfect system of government, which needs reform to prevent such things, but won't because the bad guys have too much influence), and have very importantly taken advantage of the gullibility of the average Joe and turned truth on its head with propaganda of one kind or another to help cement their grip with the vote. At no time is that more true than today.
This Republican Party has never been for anybody or anything other than themselves and what's in it for them.
Make no mistake Congressional Republicans are lemmings willing to sacrifice supporting equality, climate etc and democracy in our country for party support to get re-elected. Their first rule is support TFP if it gets them elected or re-elected even if the TFP tried to destroy our democracy. However the Congressional Republicans are now beginning to splinter over that support and Republican voters are beginning to do the same with respect to abortion, same sex marriage and generally the conservative majority on the US Supreme Court, the inflation reduction act and TFP.
I think there's a lot of evidence that TFG's stock is falling. I don't think that's good news because there's are worse in the wings. Mike Pence is my current favorite for most dangerous.
In no particular order, it’s hard to know where to start. In either party.
Face it, the Republican Party today is no more than a fascist collection of button pushing racist Big Lie liars pandering to America’s growing worst.
Sadly, Trickle down was unadulterated garbage. Nixon and Agnew were convicted criminals. Silent Majority was the lede to today. Grade B Hollywood buffoon Ronald Reagan was the trickle down David Stockman clown. GHWB’s Voodoo economics was true.
GHWB was a gutless joke kissing up to Reagan and Nixon, both driven out. Son W was a forgettable ignorant draft dodging drunk.
Speaker Newt General was as evil as Trump and far smarter.
W’s Iraq was war crime leading straight to Afghanistan.
Barry Goldwater threatened mutually assured destruction and was the most stupid.
The last decent Republican presidents were gentle Speaker Gerald Ford installed as Nixon resigned and five star general Dwight David Eisenhower.. leader of Allied Forces on D Day in WW II.
President Biden should declare very soon his intent to rest after his first term.
Read Maureen Dowd today in The New York Times. Read my comment if NYT runs it. The NYT is mismanaging its OpEd and Opinion efforts reflecting a weak publisher born to the job.
AG did not earn his position. Editor Bennett never should have been fired. His Colorado brother would be a good president.
Our nation is experiencing a crisis in leadership. We have no obvious choices in either party.
There are competent Democrats who could run. As to the president, he is actually doing some amazing things under dreadful circumstances. He should see how he feels and what the mood of the country is before deciding.
Everyone I know will vote blue no matter who.
Let us please give Biden his due. He's done some really courageous and amazing things during what has been a hellacious time. Let's help him out and stop sticking pins in him. Please let's just do that much. It just might help us all.
All of which is true, so where do we go from here? We can do better, but we need an engaged citizenry who takes their responsibilities seriously enough to stand up. It's been done in other countries--Iceland and Norway are examples. Let's look for good examples moving forward. If we allow ourselves to despair, we'll never get anywhere.
The IRS is funded inadequately and only going after the "easy" cases meaning the little fish, and not the big complicated ones. Hopefully it is going to change with this bill.
Annabel:
Why isn't a progressive tax essentially confiscatory?
There is a psychological phenomenon called social loafing, where an individual lets everyone else in a group do more than he or she does. Taxes pay for roads and schools and the Post Office, air traffic controllers, pandemic vaccines, and the defense of this great nation, among other things. Are you not proud of our country? What do you consider a reasonable contribution to the upkeep of the country for someone who makes however much money as you do? In my personal experience, individuals who use this term, confiscatory in relationship to taxes, are seldom patriotic, and often resent being expected to do their fair share in many circumstances, not just paying taxes. But maybe I am jumping to conclusions, here. Do you think a progressive tax in confiscatory?
Because a progressive tax levels the playing field. Progressive means that you pay more only on the portion that makes you richer than the next guy. Which is fair.
It also lifted up the middle class and brought unprecedented prosperity to this country.
Fair taxation is not confiscatory. It is the price you pay to enjoy the benefits of living in society.
Libertarians are confused about how this works.
Annabel, beautifully written explanation. Thank you. Perfect.
Very well explained! My response sounds judgemental- yours is better!
Senate Majority Leader and Whip Kyrsten Sinema certainly held the Senate hostage for $5 billion in drought money and narrowing the carried interest loophole. Not sure why such a tax is of interest to her. Business interests. It was suggested private parties were after her to stop it from going into effect.
By her lonesome this time. Can't blame Manchin. Instead, Democrats added “a new 1 percent excise tax on stock buybacks that will bring in $73 billion, far more than the $14 billion raised by the carried interest provision, according to a Democrat familiar with the deal.”
Ok, that is sweet as it reduces the deficit. MMT proponents would argue, "who cares, we are sovereign."
We need a few more Senators so we can take away Sinema and Machin's temporary title of Senate Majority Leader.
I read an article today about Sinema. She is really strange as far as I am concerned. I did read that she was irked that she wasn't in on the deal in the first place. This is a woman who doesn't say anything much or explain her views and she wants to be calling the shots. I hope she goes down in 2024 and will certainly donate to a D opponent.
I find Sinema offensive in many ways. But let's just celebrate that she's not blocking a fundamentally strong piece of legislation, paving the way for another major victory for a Democratic administration intent on helping its citizens and the planet.
I will celebrate two more real Dem senators.
Indeed! There's a whole lot of other things we can do that she stands in the way of.
I too am glad she came around. And all the money she got for Arizona will not alter the problem of too many people using water in a place where they should not be nor stop the drought which will only get worse in the West.
That's what "pork" is for, wherever it gets put into a bill. Sinema cannot do much to ameliorate Arizona's main water problem -- the Colorado River water division occurred when Arizona had half the population it does not. That was well before the drought. Ironic, given geography.
What gets me too is that she is so clueless that she wasn't even subtle about being bought and paid for. Clueless about what the people of her state are up against, and clueless about thinking that nobody notices her blatent angling to be where she thinks the power lies. I hope AZ voters take a look at what is starting to happen in other states and use that as an example. My family AX branch has been gone for a while and it's a whole lot worse than it was then.
I think AZ will be a bit of a swamp for a while. That's where the bogus "recount" by the firm owned by a Trump supporter that had never before audited an election was approved.
It's on the cusp, but not sure anyone knows of what.
No she can't. Our neighbors take their RV and spend a few months in the Arizona area. They always comment on the low level of Lake Mead. Our other neighbors have their house for sale, so that they can live most of the year in Arizona. Know some others who have moved there and I do wonder about the wisdom of doing that because I think major water problems are not far in the future. One piece of good news here in Oregon, a developer who was wanting to build a water sucking resort near Bend and Redmond has given up the project. He would have walked off with sacks of money leaving the locals with waterless bags. Also the state of Oregon has a cooperative deal with some Native American tribes in southern Oregon to manage the natural resources. This is another place where people should not be ranching and growing potatoes. The state also developed a new wildfire risk map and sent notices to property owners as to what they had to do. The howling from areas like southern Oregon has been long and loud. I think it is mostly about insurance which they will be lucky to get at all in the near future.
And while I'm disappointed the Hedge Fund Manager Welfare hasn't been eliminated yet, I am very pleased on the tax on stock buy backs. Clever girl.
Now if we can just get a 5 cent "fee" on each and every financial transaction--regardless of its size--we can get rake in more billions toward the reducing the deficit, etc.
I think the excise tax on stock buybacks was Hickenlooper's suggestion.
thanks. He's good -- hope Colorado keeps him.
I disagree on the 5 cent fee on every financial transaction. Of course that will be passed on to consumers, just like credit card fees are now being passed on by many places.
The city of San Francisco imposed a fee/tax like this, and companies started moving out of the city. It is short sighted.
Didn't happen when Britain imposed the 1 cent "fee" on all financial transactions on the London Stock Exchange. $11 Billion in revenue to Britain's general treasury (or whatever they call it) on Year 1
Who are the "consumers" on Wall Street? Traders & Hedge Fund Managers & Stock Companies
It's not 5 cents per share; it's 5 cents per transaction--even if it's a billion dollar transaction.
I guess it's a matter of definition: "each and every financial transaction" vs financial transactions on the stock exchange. Words matter.
Sinema is a political chameleon and opportunist open to the highest bidder.
Soul is sold
I'm a little miffed that no one every offered me any money to be a political whore. Any body else getting these big bucks bribes?? I have to ask myself what I'm doing wrong.
You have too much class to be a political whore.
I'm pretty sure she has a "for hire" sign on her office door.
Yes. And a pimp who manages the traffic flow.
She and Lindsay Graham, twins separated at birth.
Exactamente. Perf descriptor.
Yep. I remember when she first ran....sure fooled a lot of people.
Michele, I do as well. She became our Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The only difference seems to be that Gangrene's mouth never stops.
She hasn't made any friends with other Democrats, she makes a point of hanging out with Republicans. But then, that's the usual arc for a moron with an IQ low enough to qualify as a Green, which is where she began.
While I agree that Sinema is a problematic politician and could never understand her switch from Green to Dirty, our family home in Germany is in a city-state run by a Green-Left-Social Democrat coalition. It has the highest rate of covid vaccination in Germany, at 89% which is much higher than the USA and where instead of expecting the government to lower the price of fuel, everyone is making sure that their homes are as energy efficient as they possibly can be which is why all of the Energy consultants are booked a into the next year. You need an energy consultant to assess your home and advise you so that you can get government rebates for the improvements you make by adding insulation (for homes that tend to be better insulated naturally by design than houses in the USA), improving your heating sources, like wall, ceiling, floor radiant heating, adding solar or photovoltaic panels on your roof, changing to heat pumps, geothermal to lower ones use of energy be it gas, electric, oil, or wood. Greens are not fringe candidates in Germany and are gaining ground in Europe. Dr Robert Habeck Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and Annalena Baerbock Minister of Foreign Affairs are very popular politicians. Both are members of the German Green party. In countries with coalition governments, which the USA cannot have because of the political setup, it looks different to have the Green Party as a member, because they keep the climate agenda on the forefront in political decision making.
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/how-green-party-success-reshaping-global-politics
While Sweden currently is run by a single Social Democratic leader with backing of Green, Left and Centre parties, prior to that it had a coalition government of Social Democrats and the Green Party. Finland has a coalition government that includes Social Democrats and Greens. Austria is run by a coalition of the People's Party and the Greens. Vienna has just gotten a climate award from Singapore.
https://www.leekuanyewworldcityprize.gov.sg/resources/news/2022-press-release/
They are also coalition partners in Montenegro, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Republic of Ireland, and Spain.
In the USA they may act as a spoiler to the only 2 parties who have a chance of getting elected, but that is one of the unfortunate aspects of our system, that it has boiled down to only two parties having a chance of winning. It has disengaged far too many people. With coalition governments, many more people may vote in other countries. Of the 60 million eligible to vote in the last Federal election almost 46.5 mil voted. That is around 78% of the population. In the USA we had our highest voter turnout in 2020 and that was almost 67%. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/2020-presidential-election-voting-and-registration-tables-now-available.html
So, our set up gets fewer people to vote because anyone who does not feel that either the Democrats or the Republicans really represents their interests does not feel compelled to vote, whereas in Germany when you know that your candidate needs a certain percentage to have a seat at the governing table, regardless of whether they will be the lead candidate, they will still have a say, so that is more motivating. Not to say that parliamentary government works better than our system. Look at England. However, just saying that Green Party candidates are only a spoiler in our system. I personally find climate change to be the defining issue for our continued existence and look at which of the 2 major parties can best bring about addressing it, knowing full well that the Green party would be more focused, but have less chance to win and get anything done. Ultimately one wants to vote for people who will get things done. It is why I would have never voted for Ralph Nader. I don't believe that every activist a president makes.
I worked Thursday’s elections in TN for county and state offices. One young lady showed up at the wrong precinct, so I tried to redirect her. She said no, it wasn’t a presidential election and she had errands to run. I wanted to give her a five-minute tutorial on why local elections are important, including they are stepping stones to higher office. See The States Project and Run for Something websites.
One of those people who is an embarrassment
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Thanks for that - in Oz, the Greens appear to be somewhat split between the people oriented component and the environmental. I'm not aware of the nature of the Greens in Germany/Europe, but, as the saying goes, they seem to have their shit together. Unfortunately the US system makes it difficult for a 3rd party to emerge. But to denigrate their intelligence is stupid in the extreme.
In Germany, the Greens garnered enough votes in the last general election to take a significant role in the current coalition government. And they are doing a good job - competent and level-headed. In our state of North Rhine Westphalia, they are a major player and their numbers in the rest of the country have been steadily rising over the last few election cycles.
Greens in Germany and elsewhere are not the same as Greens in America. Greens in America are unprincipled Putin-loving morons (See: Stein, Jill; Sarandon, Susan). There are numerous instances of a Green taking money from Republicans to run against a popular Democrat and drain their vote to allow a Republican victory. They think doing that will "speed the revolution." Stein took money from Putin in 2016 to screw with HRC's campaign and give the victory to Trump.
It is so strange how we Americans dismiss European countries with all the civilized decisions they have made as "socialists." So many of us seem to prefer ignorance to progressivism. Heaven help us if a cent goes to the "undeserving," a euphemism for anyone not of a certain race, ethnicity, religion, or region.
Good discussion. Now, if we could only have the "parties" (2 in this case) behaving in a adult manner we'd be in the game. So unfortunate.., that one party promotes bizarre principles, relies on double-speak dishonesty, a degrading diatribe, and blatant support for white supremacy. All of which their tailgate voters openly endorse or are simply oblivious to. DAWGONNIT America...please wake up!!
Yes. In essence we have a very broken system, which those of us who are trying to participate honorably are trying to keep afloat. Many are giving up though. Scammers are really abundant.
Thanks! Great info and appreciate your knowledge.
The Greens in Australia are actually intelligent. What's your beef with the American version?
So TC what's your issue with the Greens? - OK - I tend to find that they have conflicting priorities - pro-people (sensu-lato) and pro-environment. The policies are often in conflict. We have the same issue in Oz. However demonizing the Greens doesn't help - they need guidance. I know nothing about the US version of the Greens - but someone has to generate a counter to the current "It's the economy, stupid".
Greens in America are unlike Greens elsewhere. They are politically unprincipled - there have been several instances discovered of Greens taking money from Republicans to run against a popular Democrat in a close race to drain votes from the Democrat. There's Jill Stein, who took Putin's money, still dances his dance, and who worked to defeat Hillary in 2016 on the grounds that a Trump victory would "speed the revolution." In other words, they're alleged-lefty MORONS. The last thing anyone with a brain would want to do is live in a USA run by these idiots.
So true
Trojan horse, so tired of the S and M dog and pony shows.
Yuh... a room temperature "IQ"....Probly ohnz a Harlee.
She is definitely going down in 2024. She won't win the primary.
I wouldn't bet on it. Hanging out with Republicans is not a bad thing in Arizona, especially these days. Word is she'll run as an Independent when up for reelection.
Repeublicans nowadays may like her as a PITA to Democrats, but they're unlikely to vote for a bisexual environmentalist when they can vote for a real red meat Trumpist Fascist and get the Real Thing.
Sinema would draw some moderate Republicans, like Cindy McCain who endorsed her. Particularly given the Trumpists. And she'll draw some Democrats, who need independents and moderates to win. I think it will hurt the Dems--splits almost always do (Ross Perot is the exception).
Ugh
She has made lots of enemies among AZ Democrats.
Which is why rumor has it she'll run for reelection as an Independent.
Her political transformation--which has been stunning--has also earned her a strong following in Arizona. Word is she'll run as an Independent when up for reelection.
Hopefully, she steals votes from the R.
She may get the moderates. I'm very curious if Cindy McCain will endorse her as an Independent--widow of Arizona's Original Maverick.
Nothing moderate about her.
I agree. But Sinema is moderate compared to a Progressive Dem and a Trumpist.
She gets a lot of her financial contributions from the finance industry. After we get two more Senators this fall and she goes back to being the irrelevant idiot she was born to be, we'll get that carried interest business straightened out next year and start reigning in the pinstriped pimps.
TC.... "Pinstriped Pimps" is a wonderful descriptor. I hope it finds its way into the Dems campaign rhetoric. Thank you for making me aware of it.
TCinLa:
I think I made my thoughts known without offending women. As a male, I can not cross that line.
I do need women posters/authors at or site to cover issues I can not cover adequately. It is a hard find. Our people left due to prof requirements, family, etc.
No pay involved just a place on an economics blog which has been cited as one of the best.
We are damn good . . .
I read Adam Tooze and Paul Krugman.
Krugman for me.
Ah, got it. Just saw this.
Hi bill, Which economics blog is it? Sounds interesting. Also, re: crossing that line, "what the hell are you doing" isn't very nice for this friendly blog....
I think I apologized for and explained my mistake
Angry Bear
Link please
https://adamtooze.substack.com/
You can google Krugman all over the place. Enjoy!
Thanks
Sinema is at great risk for 2024. She’ll have tons of money from her corporate donors but AZ voters are sick of her behavior
She had the gall to send fund-raising email to me. Response was not printable.
Bonnie
Yes, I know and I am here now to ask the economic questions and ask what the h*ll are you doing?
Bill, I was surprised by your attack on Bonnie. Her comment seemed to be a warning about Sinema's ties to private equity firms as substantial donors to her political campaign.
Thank you for getting back to me. I think I explained what I meant in my statement to Bonnie. My wording was too generic and I had not preface to make such a statement. I goofed.
Hi Bill H. Good for hear from you. I knew that there was something screwy about your initial comment to Bonnie because it didn't sound like the real Bill H whose comments are topnotch. Cheers!
Thank you. I am not perfect. I am usually in a hurry. I make mistakes. And I am also a male. I am not in tune at times.
Why a pretty woman from Queens (yes, I went to Queens to find a Queen) who lived between two aunts and a raft of cousins chose me, I am not sure. Although, she never had a chance. I would be there on leave, and my young female cousins would rat on her. :) Fifty-one years later . . .
Bill. Not sure why you seem irritated w me but you can back off.
Bonnie:
You was used to convey "they," meaning her supporters and Sinema. "Here" means AZ.
It appears my sentence was not tied to a preface adequately. I am sorry for not being more specific and if it was hurtful. Thank you for letting me know.
OK. Thanks for clarifying. I’m a snowbird so can’t vote in AZ but I will share info with AZ friends and donate to her 2024 opponents.
‘Kyrsten Sinema ensured a $14 billion tax break for private equity, hedge fund, and real estate executives remains intact. It's a win for many of her campaign donors.’
‘The carried interest tax provision of the Inflation Reduction Act was expected to have raised about $14 billion over 10 years.’
'According to Open Secrets, the global private equity firms KKR, Carlyle, and Apollo Global Management are among the leading 20 sources of donations to Sinema's campaign committee between 2017 and 2022.'
'As Open Secrets notes, it isn't the organizations in the list that donated money directly, but rather, their "political action committees, their individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families." Further, subsidiaries and affiliates are included in the organizations' total donations figure.'
'Other organizations listed by Open Secrets among the leading 20 sources of donations include Andreessen Horowitz, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has invested in companies including Facebook, Twitter, and Airbnb; and Rudin Management, a private commercial and residential landlord and developer in New York City.'
'All in all, Sinema has received $2.2 million from investment firms between 2017 and 2022, according to Open Secrets.'
Sinema's office didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. (BusinessInsider) See link below.
‘Carried interest is the percentage of an investment’s gains that a private equity partner or hedge fund manager takes as compensation. At most private equity firms and hedge funds, the share of profits paid to managers is about 20 percent.’
‘Under existing law, that money is taxed at a capital-gains rate of 20 percent for top earners. That’s about half the rate of the top individual income tax bracket, which is 37 percent. A tax law passed by Republicans in 2017 largely left the treatment of carried interest intact, after an intense lobbying campaign, but it did narrow the exemption by requiring executives to hold their investments for at least three years to enjoy preferential tax treatment.’
‘An agreement reached last week by Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, would have extended that holding period to five years from three, while changing the way the period is calculated in hopes of reducing taxpayers’ ability to take advantage of the lower 20 percent tax rate.’
‘Lawmakers’ inability to address a tax break that Democrats and some Republicans have called unfair underscores the influence of lobbyists for the finance industry and how difficult it can be to change the tax code.’ (NYTimes) See gifted link below.
https://www.businessinsider.com/kyrsten-sinema-donors-score-win-from-carried-interest-tax-break-2022-8
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/business/carried-interest-senate-bill.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DFDm4fiO4IGImG9lzWIqFqfcEy0jjeRdldPaUiX-A31eJZNlBgDgOppp_CmIgAJ299j7OPaV4M_sCHW6Eko3itZ3OlKex7yfru4U6MYGXvXLjdgiIiOApk9JR6JVir0GhcwamTFOAhioQujq8xF9stE2d7ESqKtvbvDhp_PszXLU2Pr1lrBJwKHG3bjtWe6LkfcQRNCF2gTXJ34mo07dM0K8pAde-kbEZmIJyi9O1XXm94L46pBIkzT5zWk9houL3NrR-KwKmm1v2RpAiSElcGCq0pBUbiG2A&smid=url-share
Thanks!
Excellent backgrounder! Thanks!
Thank you. These Details are shocking.
Thank you for reading it Bonnie. Voters need to know whose interests some elected representatives, such as Sinema, favor over those of the people she was elected to serve.
If you feel the need to understand Sinema, read Alexandra Petri's piece in The Washington Post.
I will have to go to the dark side of the internet to gain access. But, ok!
Go to your public library! Most of us subscribe to WaPo with remote access for cardholders. Libraries - best dang use of your tax $$$
I agree with you about libraries however in the primary election this last Tuesday in a small Michigan town, the voters turned down a millage to support the local library. You know, that place with books on every subject, books that make the imagination soar, free internet access for those that can’t afford it, meeting rooms for local organizations, I could go on but you have get the idea. Why, you ask yourself, would the voters defund the library? Because someone found a book that that had LBTGQ subject matter in it. It created quite a stir, and the librarian was forced to move the book behind the counter so impressionable children couldn’t accidentally come upon it (even though it was shelved in the Adult Books section). But that wasn’t good enough, they wanted ALL books that contained any such subject matter to be removed from the library. When the library board refused, these people vowed to vote no on the library millage. And that is exactly what they did. The library will be forced to close next summer when it runs out of money.
UPDATE: Two GoFundMe accounts have raised $59,000 for the library so far 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
That's super news. Will announce at my dinner table tonight and let our County Library Director know. She is very concerned.
That story deserves national attention. Two of our libraries were threatened with closure during Covid's early days. County Bd of Supervisors decided the facilities would make great daycare centers for county employees' kids. While we went to the barricades to stop the plan, the employees in question said they had no interest in sending their kids to a library daycare. Libraries prevailed, and we sure learned from the outcry how important they are to our community.
Thankfully, it IS getting national attention. You can search Jamestown Township, Patmos Library.
This makes my head explode. Burn the witch!
Cathy - Yes, I read about this. Made a donation. I work in MD Library and we are so fortunate to receive excellent funding with well-informed library boards. More power to this little library!
Cathy,
This is awful!! And it sounds like a concerted effort to remove information of all kinds.
Recent?
Sinema and Manchin could hardly afford to obstruct this bill; they both come from states suffering severe effects of global climate change, and West VA and its coal interests need a LONG awaited shift away from dirty energy . Shame on Maserati Manchin yachting up river to work for Big Energy — parts of his state are also flooding. His neighbors in Eastern KY need to remember their shame for inflicting the likes of Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul on this government, too. Needless to say, I don’t see THOSE multi millionaires stepping up to help flood victims.
I just don’t feel beholden to those who elect traitors and subversive, wing-nut politicians. Like the judge said when he sentenced Reffitt to 7 years in prison: There is nothing about these people that resembles patriotism. Let Manchin and Sinema remember that.
Also, if they shaft this bill and the Dems lose the Senate, M&S will become totally irrelevant. If the Dems keep the Senate, even if we add Senators who will move aside the filibuster, M&S still have some importance.
Hear, hear.
Hedge fund managers and such who benefit from the carried interest loophole have given Sinema a great deal of money, which explains her interest in it. Unlike that corruption, her advocacy for climate change funding to help her state survive drought is called doing her job. Funny thing about the Green Party. It claims to be green as in progressive, and repeatedly turns out to be green as in taking money to degrade progressive efforts.
Jill not green Stein as an example.
Like
Last sentence is my reason for living, politically.
Well-said. Love your last line. Almost spilled my coffee down my front...
Thank you
Do you think Arizonans will re-elect her?
Given what we know about the people of AZ, I wouldn't be surprised if she's re-elected. Not sure a lot of AZ voters have brains. They just follow.(Apologies to those here who live in the Grand Canyon State, aka, Arizona.)
Depends on who else runs.
And on this day in 1965 President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.
So much good news for our country this week! Hopefully positivity will gain momentum as we move towards the midterms, despite the obstructive efforts of Republicans.
Yes, JustJanice!!
I loved reading this tonight:
“The introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act caps what has turned out to be a spectacular week for the Biden administration. Jobs numbers out today showed not the downturn that many expected, but instead the addition of 528,000 new jobs, restoring the U.S. job numbers to where they were before the pandemic and putting unemployment at 3.5%, the lowest rate in 50 years. The United States Chips and Science Act (CHIPS) and the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT) have both passed Congress. The president authorized and troops achieved the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. And gas prices have hit a 50-day low.”
Wait til the ink is dry on any senate action
I posted to FB. Can’t wait to see who tells me it’s all untrue—as repubs on twitter are doing—or ascribes any success to … what? Any other reason.
Rowshan:
To be fully there Participation Rate has to be the same. It is a good feeling . . .
I don’t see that happening anytime soon, thanks to early retirements during the pandemic, lack of child care, etc.
Look to a recession late in the year. The signs are there.
My Granny used to tell me "don't borrow troubles." Deal with--or celebrate--what's here today. And this week has much to celebrate for all Americans, except the sourpusses.
No economist has any idea what's going on--yes, it might be a recession or it might be stabilization. But the economic indicators are trending in the right direction right now--high employment, higher wages, inflation creeping down. I don't even count the stock market, because it has a life of its own.
Citizen;
Your Granny was a smart person who was tempered (harden) in the flames of past economic occurrences.
I think back to 2008 when we were too timid in rescuing Main Street from the mistakes of Wall Street. We have a lot to be thankful for in what I assume Biden learned from that period of time. He has not been bashful in applying economic stimulus. Healthcare insurance subsidies were extended for people withing 250% FPL. The gap from 100% to 138% was covered which was not previously covered by the ACA or Medicaid.
Biden made the right moves on drawing down the Oil SPR to supplement the country's needs. The country has a larger refining capacity for sour grade oil than it does for sweet trade of oil. When you see him shipping oil over to Europe refining, he is sending the sweet oil. Gasoline prices are down about a $1 per gallon. If you wish a lower price, driving the speed limit will reduce usage by ~5% . . . larger supply.
Non-management Labor pay is down from its peak earlier this year. Prices are still high.
The Fed is determined to get perceived inflation under control. We have supply chain issues and market manipulation. Raising the Fed interest rates will play out on in business loans and also loans for housing. It has already hurt used home sales. One builder I talked to was complaining about young people not wanting 5% mgt loans. I usually run the numbers. A mortgage on a $314,000 home with 5% down at the rate I have is ~$1200 / month. If it goes to 5%, you are tacking on another $300-$400 on to the Mgt payment. You are close to $2000/month including taxes, HOA, and MGI. The market is down.
The Fed is going to slaughter the peasants. Knight v peasant and not knight v knight (Arthur's battle?). The recession Its coming because the Fed wants it and it will be too late when they back off.
I have zero sympathy for first-time buyers complaining about 5% mortgage rates. My first time house purchase had a 17% mortgage--on a $250,000 mortgage in 1982--when there were no "deals" for first-time buyers like the 3% down on a federally-backed mortgage.
Builders can come down a bit in almost every market--will have to if they don't want to carry the inventory too long. They can also offer incentives in lieu of price reductions: $2,000 toward the down, pay the closing costs, etc--all of which are tax deductible to them. Many of them are nationwide residential homebuilders and can absorb small price reductions or incentives.
Everyone has gotten addicted to cheap money. It was always artificial.
The economists have never seen a US economy like this one--even after WWII--which only a few are honest enough to admit. Everything they studied is only partially applicable and there is no history to draw on. Ben Bernanke was at least a scholar of The Great Depression. Obama was "afraid" of proposing too big a stimulus--and Geithner didn't argue. Special circumstances led to those decisions because they didn't know what would happen.
The actual 2008 recession the way economists measure one was rather short, even with such a small stimulus. Full recovery was projected to take 8-10 years, which was actually slightly shorter.
The US hasn't had control over oil prices since OPEC began. I agree with the SR drawdown, too
Which Dim-ocrat are you reading?
TCinLA:
We also write economic commentary. NewDealdemocrat writes in a way most people can understand and gives the indicators. I am mostly manufacturing even though I have a MA in Economics. We have several profs who add to our dialogue.
I read the economic reports
I write mostly to cement our appreciation, with figures showing real family income growth, of how the state of income inequality in the U.S. has evolved over a 60-year time span. (Source: Economy Policy Institute)
Between 1947-73 (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, & Nixon), real family income growth for the lowest fifth was 116.1%; for the top fifth, it was 84.8%.
Between 1973-2000 (Ford, Carter, Reagan, H. W. Bush, & Clinton), real family income growth for the lowest fifth was 12.1%; for the top fifth, it was 66.9%.
Between 2000-05 (W. Bush), real family income growth for the lowest fifth was -7.8%; for the top fifth, it was -0.9%.
While I don’t imagine any one would question the effects of the last nearly 20 years on this widening inequality gap, what frustrates me is that non-college educated workers presently seem to think that the political right has their interests at heart.
Your last sentence describes the most baffling and frustrating aspect of politics in America today.
Michael, I write thinking you might appreciate my trying to make some sense of the MAGA crowd. In my view, what we have seen in the past several years is the coming together of a normally fragmented spectrum across the right (e.g., White Supremacists and Second Amendment rights extremists) united by a sense of both precarity and entitlement—the fear that something to which they feel entitled is going to be taken away and, in turn, given to someone who doesn’t deserve it. The “Stop the Steal” rhetoric, replete with massive disinformation about an illegitimate and a broken democracy, predictably acts as the connective tissue that has stitched together the various grievances and resentments, all be they slightly different across all the groups.
As for whether the chaos we are living through is the beginning of something or the end of something, scholars appear only to agree on one point: the MAGA crowd are terrified of a future in which they have to share.
The right blames the demise on “scurrilous Democrat’s social programs” and the hordes believe them. The message has not been well countered.
And the crazy part is, most of the MAGA crowd are already enjoying the fruit of these social programs. They really don't understand what they are fighting against.
"Get your government hands off my Medicare".
Resent the hand that gives the charity you so disclaim as demeaning? Or, the American Dream denied by forces who control the next step on the mythical ladder of opportunity.
It was a sign held at one of the first big tea party anti government protests. The woman was 100% serious.
Gail, I agree with your point regarding messaging and would add that a cadre of Senate Democrats are prevailing upon leadership to hold floor votes on expanding the child tax credit, investing in housing, in eldercare, in affordable, quality childcare, raising the minimum wage to $15, and so forth. Obviously, the point is to get Republicans on record voting against legislation that would improve life for tens and tens of millions of people. Dems also could hold votes on such provisions as ending the carried interest loophole to educate the public about the people/issues Republicans care about.
Fascinating to ponder. It's so hard for us to see the world from their perspective and to appreciate the effects of endless right-wing propaganda. Of course the idea that the federal government wants to "come for their guns" defies rational thinking. And then there's the practical side of the issue: the feds have no way of enforcing such a policy much less is able logistically to deal with the tens of millions of guns.
This is certainly a piece of it.
Exactly what Rupert and chump trumpet non-stop.
Rupert Murdoch
Historically "big lies" have been proved effective, and after Watergate, Republicans closed ranks to close ranks and control the narrative and the media. Preemptively "pardoned" Nixon offered that he believed that the only mistake he made as president had been not destroying the incriminating tapes. Democrats tried and failed to nail Reagan for wildly corrupt "Iran Contra" and seemed to subsequently back off publicly condemning "GOP"corruption, while the "GOP" was busy with Joe McCarthy's playbook making scandals out of molehills, or just making stuff up (I don't include Bill Clinton in the "molehill" category BTW, because while his impeachment was partisan theater, it was never the sex that mattered, it was the flat out lies, and falsely defaming Lewinsky. That said, multiple "GOP" official lies have dwarfed that of Clinton's). If we can be prosecuted for lying to the government, it seems only fair that the agents we entrust with grave responsibility of carrying out our governance could get in a heap of trouble for lying to us. As humans can ward off or recover from a viral infection, democracy can withstand substantial lies and liars; but only if we fight them off, as the J6th Committee is now doing.
@J L Graham, I would not dispute the necessity of calling out lies and also would add I am well aware of the consequences were the perpetuation of false grievances that the 2020 election were stolen to succeed unimpeded. Thankfully, the J6th Committee, in my view, has provided conclusive (or at least near conclusive) factual predication for indicting the entire J6th command structure up to and including Trump.
YES, and the J6th Committee has taken on the burden of the avant-garde, but will require a groundswell of allies. There are so many openings for restoration of neglected justice, as Alex Jones, who was sure he would prevail with the standard right-wing strategy of brazening it out, has discovered to his dismay. Public sentiment remains the ultimate source of politcal will, and democracy requires good faith conversation. There is potentially a breath of change in the air to ;teer away, none too soon, from our elephant-in-the-room trajectory toward multiple disasters; if we enough of us help give it a push.
@J L Graham, I increasingly trust that the “breath of change,” to which you refer, is increasingly awakening our collective awareness.
Do it or die, divided we will still be, but the truth should matter to the majority. Unless Rupert converts most of us. And he’s trying, despite the nougats from the WSJ
I'm sick of the unnecessary criticism of President Biden. We are not going into a RECESSION. The Repubs want you to believe we are, but compared to Trump, Joe Biden has done a tremendous job.
As an Econ major, I don't want to hear comparisons to the 1800's. We live in a different world, a one world economy very intertwined, or inter connected. International Trade and Finance are nothing like the 1800's. The recent programs Biden has worked out, include REDUCING NATIONAL DEBT. Trump didn't even know what that was. If increasing taxation on people who make 400 thousand plus then maybe these people need one less Lexus or Mercedes sitting in their driveway. We need to work on demand, and teach people how to be good STEWARDS of THEIR PERSONAL FINANCES. Gas prices have gone down dramatically in the last two weeks. We are still catching up from Covid and people need to curb their spending which is keeping inflation high. If major Oil Companies HAVE THE NERVE TO POST RECORD PROFITS, then maybe they can help out by reducing the cost of their products, THEY KNOW WE ARE SO DEPENDENT UPON, or what is known as: IN-ELASTIC DEMAND, and they know it. People will pay at the pump because #1, they need transportation and #2, they won't SLOW DOWN in both MPH Speed, and they could be car pooling, or doing other conservative measures to REDUCE spending on gas which keeps INFLATION HIGH. I take care of my used car and small pick-up work truck. I don't need a new one, because the TV Commercial puts the idea in my head. I conserve my money, and although the stock market has adjusted, I still hold on to stocks, that either I know will come back in value, like Apple and Microsoft, or I am holding onto high dividend yield stocks, and just sitting on my cash until the market settles lower, then I will make very conservative small incremental purchases. I believe Americans have to adjust their spending habits, just like we had to and continue to learn how to live with Covid, and now Monkey Pox. We can't pretend like we had money coming in like before Covid. We can't spend and consume, just like BEFORE COVID. Of course I'm pro President Biden. He has slowly and CONTINUALLY working to promote good programs for both United States and the World. He works at creating Bi-Partisan programs, so everyone will benefit. Ukraine is a very unfortunately expense, for the US and Europe. Regardless, President Biden has moved us and our economy forward while at the same time moving us more in the inevitable direction of sustainable energy resources. We should have listened to Jimmy Carter back in the late 70's but big oil, and their money, (incredible profits; I can't believe their audacity to post their record profits of 13.9 BILLION), which has blocked through the decades R&D toward GREEN Energy. And now look at the cost of rebuilding communities with horrific storms, floods and fires which destroy the earth, not to mention loss of lives. I believe we all need to help out, be better stewards of our money and resources. Become better educated, make education more affordable, do something about our out of control spending. Encourage the un-educated, less fortunate to have smaller families, which puts themselves into debt, and yes, levy taxes on those who can afford to pay them. Create incentives to invest in GREEN ENERGY, improve our infrastructure to be able to withstand the STORMS AND WEATHER WHICH WE KNOW IS HERE TO STAY. And finally get a hold on run-away economic and societal problems. Stop blaming, and become a productive contributor, and come up with solutions by modifying our behaviors and in effect slow down our ridiculous demand for goods and services which we really don't need and can't afford. Look for Candidates who will support these GOOD IDEAS, and GET OUT AND VOTE. Look what WOMEN were able to recently pull off in the state of Kansas, and get Women's Rights on the Ballot. I'm impressed Ladies; you have shown us the power you have. And if we can continue to show that same power and direction in other states, we can make sure Roe v Wade will be back to stay. AND show Clarence Thomas, that he better not even go near LGBTQ Rights; and Clarence, you forgot to attack INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE. Did you and Ginnie purposely forget that one. Sorry for the rant, but People, lets get our Government to do THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, and not move in the direction of a small minority of White Christian Men who want a Utopia all of THEIR OWN MAKING! MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED AND GET OUT AND VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO WILL PROMOTE THE WILL OF ALL THE PEOPLE.
I love what you wrote. All the people, all of us this time.
Side note (not intended as a snide note): Paragraphs are your friend. I am dyslexic with an astigmatism and more than 50 lines in a single paragraph hurts my brain and my eyes. I probable read several lines 4 or 5 times and missed some others, I am certain.
Dear Ally House, and everyone that reads this. I sincerely apologize for my formatting, and not breaking up my post into paragraphs. I was emotional, never intended to go on so long.
Yes I should have broken up the paragraphs. I also use another platform, that when you hit enter, (I double space for paragraphs, not indent), it automatically ends and sends out the post.
I will use your advice, as I should have and make it easier for ALL of us to read. Thank You for correcting me. Thanks to education, I am open to any and all constructive criticism.
And to everyone, I sincerely appreciate all the positive, supportive feedback I received. I was not expecting that. I was simply expressing my feelings and opinions regarding our President Biden based upon all the news, info and actions I see occurring with our government and around the world. Thank You very much.
Glad you took this advice, it was well meant and because we wanted to read your rant.
And btw, no problem with ranting, you are among friends!
Thank you for your gentle reply!
Respect to Jim while agreeing with you. Not dyslexic personally but I still struggle reading long posts without paragraphs.
Yes, Yes, I say. Rant worth your passion. It appears to me that the criticisms from the right are not about what he proposed, promised, and is trying to achieve, but that he is not pursuing what yhey alluded to wanting done were they is power. An impossible position. Bipartisanship is, thusly, enacting legislation they write.
Thank you so very much for the background on how income tax came about. I admit I had not a clue but found it so very interesting that “back then” the population wanted to pay more to support the war effort. Would happen now……don’t think so.
I am always amazed (though I shouldn’t be) how you can tie yesterdays to the present. It makes the present so much clearer and makes me a much more informed person. Thank you .
Hope being that this arrived early you are able to have a “early” night.
So many good things happened today. Yet, although the new jobs numbers, lower unemployment and lower gas prices were mentioned on the evening news (CBS & NBC), several minutes were devoted to anchor blathering and citizen interviews about the horrors of inflation. Hmph!
At least PBS had some good news. With Repub Brooks and Dem Capehart agreeing that the current administration and President Biden, are working for the people with major achievements in investment in Clean Energy and past gun legislation and Chips and Medical. I love that Brooks said, “But if we had a normal Republican Party, you would get a bunch of Republican votes for this thing.” Impressive achievements in the Biden Administration. Watch the video:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/brooks-and-capehart-on-democrats-climate-bill-and-critical-primary-elections
I noticed that and muted it. The R candidate for governor here in Oregon has an ad out about a hidden sales tax put in by Kate Brown and the Ds. Oops, we have no sales tax in Oregon, so that is BS.
They will say anything, no matter the level of deceit, to get elected. And don't get me started on Betty Johnson, whose TV ads would make classic parodies on Saturday Night Live.
I have a metric crapton of people anxious to vote for Machine Gun Betsy. I do not get these people at all.
I am hoping she steals R votes. Had dinner with our political friends who are in the know and the report is that Tina will win.
I sure hope so.
I call her Machine Gun Betsy. Her ads have been on since before the primary and there is one every night. Both she and the R drive by the homeless mess while Tina's ad shows her actually at sites and helping. She has a plan...the other two have nothing but talk.
Her claim that she, magically, will make Democrats and Republicans put aside their differences and compromise is like me wishing I was young again.
For years I have followed Oregon politics pretty closely. I admire Betsy's gumption. She has often voted things out of committee for the "good of the process", and I find that admirable. But I also watched her disrupt and sidetrack Senate process, along with certain of the extreme right wing of the Republicans (the Oregon R party is in serious disarray). When Betsy announced for governor, it didn't surprise me. She is an angry person, and goes for broke when she is pissed off (which is a lot of the time).
I think Tina will get in. She's made mistakes but she owns them, and she has done one hell of a job getting the Oregon house to actually do some work and work *together* while they are doing it. That's saying something these days. She sometimes comes across as brittle, but she is anything but. She simply cares too much, and tries to keep it from getting in the way of getting the right things done. Betsy can't do that.
Nice analysis. And yes, she has aided and abetted the Rs here. She knew she had no chance as a D, so is running as an I. I see her taking votes from the R. So far Tina is the only one who has not shown us the mess on the streets (like we don't see that every day), but talking with the houseless, working with some projects, and having an actual plan. In her ad she is not brittle at all, but soft spoken and to the point without mention of Betsy or the R. No awful pictures of them either. The ads against Betsy on Facebook are mostly about her work with Timber Unity which I also read an article about this week, and there is some disunity there. Also this week this is an article about hateful postings by a long time aide of hers. She claims to know nothing, but she has spent much time this person, so has to know the biases.
Oh yes. She is just talk.
Our “free press” has been bought by the almighty dollar. News used to be a public service, not a money maker
Most newspapers made money or intended to. The airways were supposed to be different at least until the fairness doctrine was abandoned.
Fox and MSM found a way to criticize Biden for the great jobs numbers. The White House - and everyone else - had been wrong not to predict them. Plus, jobs may be increasing and inflation going down BUT, horror of horrors, wages are still going up.
Don't forget that people are still bleating about "lazy people unwilling to work". No, all of the folks that used to work for less than peanuts in the hospitality industry were able to find other employment. Sorry your favorite restaurant has to close early/for a day because of "staff shortage".
I read recently "If your business model calls for paying people less than a living wage, there is something wrong with your business." I also had a friend post a meme that "told a story" of a man who goes about his day with all the conveniences of things manufactured outside the US and then returns home after an unsuccessful day of finding a job (never mind that the people that they bleat about not working do not own German made cars, drink French wine, or have fancy watches or computers) and then comments that by not "buying American" the person has created their own problem. I commented that rather than chide the man for not buying American, they should be asking the manufacturers why they moved manufacturing overseas and cut the part of the economy where a person could work in manufacturing, support a family, and have a pension. Crickets.
Not only that, but complaints about wages going up routinely ignore the wages that actually have gone up obscenely - namely, the gargantuan increases in pay for corporate CEO's. A significant part of inflation is driven by price increases due not to increased costs, not to increased wages, but to sheer greed and opportunism skimpily hidden by general inflation. Senate Republicans are of course blocking any legislation against this sort of thing.
An economist interviewed by Politics Girl this week did say that the administration is working against high meat prices by helping additional companies break into the meat processing industry. Many industries get away with profiteering and what amounts to price collusion because there are only a few companies dominating the market.
See: Baby formula for how bad an idea that is.
Apparently the list of industries with real competition is shorter these days than the list of those with a small number of major players.
Joan, first paragraph--EXACTLY!!!
I know that this comment is simplistic and a bit off the wall and not one an economist would make, but where does McConnell think that the money has been coming for flood relief in Kentucky?
This GOP obsession about taxes killing corporations, 'makers and takers'...blah blah. Realize that 35% of US stock market is owned by foreign nationals, up from 3% in 1965. Thus, 35 cents of every dollars paid out in dividends etc. is going overseas and never taxed, instead of to the United States Treasury or the account of an American who MAYBE will pay taxes.
https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/who-owns-us-stock-foreigners-and-rich-americans
Easy credit, Financial Engineering, the 'Financialization of America' are substitutes for fair wages, worker protections, social safety net, income equality. Think 'junk food' as opposed to nutritious whole foods. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/pitfalls-financialization-american-business/
Good site, I use them too.
Corporate tax rate is 19% before deductions.
I am fascinated by the idea that the general population in the 1860s understood the effects of a deficit on the security of the nation--because I don't think most citizens today do. What has changed? Of course, borrowing has become a part of life for many, especially low and middle income homeowners. But were other nations more stringent about collecting debt payments (for many different reasons)? Were there fewer national reserves (and what were those reserves at that time?) Is part of the difference the gold standard? Was the press more expository about the issue? Whereas the implication is that patriotism for this new country is at the heart, and remembering that people at that time still had living parents and grandparents who had fought for independence, I think there are volumes that could be written about the interpretations HCR has set forth tonight.
Something else to consider is how Elizabethan Poor Laws shaped how we, as a people, respond(ed) to debtors and the poor. We have long been a harsh nation when it comes to those less fortunate. Calvinism frowns on the poor.
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/poor-relief-early-amer/
I read somewhere, I think it was the book White Trash, that the English viewed North America as a large work house. I am now reading a book on Victorian England and the people who laid the groundwork for modern Britain. One of the problems then was the people moving to cities to work in factories and they lived in deplorable conditions. The government was worried about revolutions which had taken place in France and also in the middle of the 19th century in various countries in Europe. So, one of the first reforms was to get rid of the Corn Laws. Then finally there was an expansion of the franchise to some members of the working class and efforts to provide education, museums, libraries, etc. It is very detailed and it's a wonder that anything got done with all the egos battling it out.
“And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!” cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. “Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse! And bide the end!”
“Have they no refuge or resource?” cried Scrooge.
“Are there no prisons?” said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. “Are there no workhouses?” Christmas Carol
I was given tickets to this play one year by my employer. Each year we went afterwards. Then, we went to UNOs nearby for pizza as served up by UW students, some with the spiked and purple hair. It was the atmosphere of Madison, WI. Their schools would take them to Spring Green to the American Players theater for Shakespearian plays. Life was good . .
Note that Ignorance is worse than Want.?
Scrooge to Jacob Marley’s ghost:
“Jacob, you were always a good man of business!”
Marley’s ghost: “BUSINESS! Mankind was my business! The common good was my business!”
Thanks, I needed that tonight. Just busy writing away . . . :)
That is one of the most powerful things written. (It also happens to be my favorite Christmas movie; with George C. Scott playing Scrooge.) I'd love to see this as a play.
Not to far removed from Debtors' Prisons, so they were more 'AWAKE' then perhaps 'WOKE' back then. Ha Ha!
Back 1860s they welcomed vegan Impossible sausages at Cracker Barrel because they remembered the shortage of meat sausages and thought perhaps another shortage was looming?
Ha!
🤣😂
I agree that the consequences of default created a fear of debt, but the laws concerned penalties for individuals, not nations that simply would extract more from its citizens. Was the populace at the time aware that banks were the primary lenders to the government?
Back then there was no Federal Reserve (created to be the Lender of Last Resort in 1913). Runs on banks were not uncommon, uninsured and resulted in depositor's loss. The Bank Panic of 1907 was stopped only when J.P. Morgan (the man) famously gathered and locked all the NYC Trust and bankers in his library and would not let anyone leave until all agreed to to lend to the other to end the liquidity crisis. Here is a brief history of bank panics by Federal Reserve. https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/banking-panics-of-the-gilded-age
Thank you. Most Americans born in the latter half of the 20th Century are ignorant of the wild economic fluctuations the US has experienced throughout its history.
Raises hand. Thanks for this link.
I learned of this history only recently when I read "The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict. Fiction but based on factual history. It's a great read! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55333938-the-personal-librarian
"The introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act caps what has turned out to be a spectacular week for the Biden administration."
The Biden administration needs to broadcast the good news daily!
That would be nice, but.....Bernie & Progressives are already publicly ranting about "lost opportunity" of a Democratic unified government--as though the Dems has supermajorities in both Houses of Congress instead of razor thin margins in the House and a 50-50 Senate. Primarying sitting Dems and Progressives running against Trumpists is not going to end well.
Biden's record stands and it needs to keep being said to drown out the naysayers from either party.
Totally agree. That's why am so PO'd Bernie, AOC, et al are trashing Biden's deals. AOC + 3 voted against the Infrastructure Bill -- great way to split the Dem voters
Some of today's Republicans reacted to the July Jobs Report by saying the data was .....FAKE! They cite, of all things, the fact that many businesses are still seeking help. Is that not an indicator of a labour shortage, rather than of a job shortage?
Exactly!
Manchen got some support for fossil fuels. Sinema got preservation of tax benefit for the already super rich. In exchange, the people got the first serious legislation to fight global warming and a 15% baseline Corporate tax and a tax on corporate stock buybacks. That is classic distribution of pork to grease the passage of critical legislation.
If you want to know what "Republican Economics" are, allow Vice President Alexander Stevens of the Confederate States of America to explain "Southernomics" as he did in his famous "Cornerstone Speech on March 12, 1861:
"Allow me briefly to allude to some of these improvements. The question of building up class interests, or fostering one branch of industry to the prejudice of another under the exercise of the revenue power, which gave us so much trouble under the old constitution, is put at rest forever under the new. We allow the imposition of no duty with a view of giving advantage to one class of persons, in any trade or business, over those of another. All, under our system, stand upon the same broad principles of perfect equality. Honest labor and enterprise are left free and unrestricted in whatever pursuit they may be engaged. This old thorn of the tariff, which was the cause of so much irritation in the old body politic, is removed forever from the new.
"Again, the subject of internal improvements, under the power of Congress to regulate commerce, is put at rest under our system. The power, claimed by construction under the old constitution, was at least a doubtful one; it rested solely upon construction. We of the South, generally apart from considerations of constitutional principles, opposed its exercise upon grounds of its inexpediency and injustice. Notwithstanding this opposition, millions of money, from the common treasury had been drawn for such purposes. Our opposition sprang from no hostility to commerce, or to all necessary aids for facilitating it. With us it was simply a question upon whom the burden should fall. In Georgia, for instance, we have done as much for the cause of internal improvements as any other portion of the country, according to population and means. We have stretched out lines of railroads from the seaboard to the mountains; dug down the hills, and filled up the valleys at a cost of not less than $25,000,000. All this was done to open an outlet for our products of the interior, and those to the west of us, to reach the marts of the world. No State was in greater need of such facilities than Georgia, but we did not ask that these works should be made by appropriations out of the common treasury. The cost of the grading, the superstructure, and the equipment of our roads was borne by those who had entered into the enterprise. Nay, more not only the cost of the iron no small item in the aggregate cost was borne in the same way, but we were compelled to pay into the common treasury several millions of dollars for the privilege of importing the iron, after the price was paid for it abroad. What justice was there in taking this money, which our people paid into the common treasury on the importation of our iron, and applying it to the improvement of rivers and harbors elsewhere? The true principle is to subject the commerce of every locality, to whatever burdens may be necessary to facilitate it. If Charleston harbor needs improvement, let the commerce of Charleston bear the burden. If the mouth of the Savannah river has to be cleared out, let the sea-going navigation which is benefited by it, bear the burden. So with the mouths of the Alabama and Mississippi river. Just as the products of the interior, our cotton, wheat, corn, and other articles, have to bear the necessary rates of freight over our railroads to reach the seas. This is again the broad principle of perfect equality and justice, and it is especially set forth and established in our new constitution."
Sounds a lot like what you hear from the Confederate White People's Treason Party today, eh?
All that progress that happened in the Civil War - the fair taxation, the land grant colleges, the homestead act, the transcontinental railroad, were not new ideas. They'd been around awhile. But before 1861, they were always stopped by the South. Remove the 11 traitor states, and progress happens.
I'll bet if you removed the same 11 traitor states (maybe throw in Okielahoma and Missouri), you could have the same kind of progress today. The South brings nothing worthwhile to the union.
Also, if you have any doubts the Civil War was only about slavery, allow VP Stevens to educate you to reality:
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/cornerstone-speech
Bam.
Outstanding! What a conclusion, but you HAVE to add Floriduh to your list of traitor states.
More power to those with both ethics and heart! Thank you, Heather, for what you do. It means a lot. I wish you sleep and boundless energy!