Month: August 2020

By COURTENAY BARNETT

I have an interest in economics – so I read various economists’ articles and commentaries. One such economist is Dr. Paul Craig Roberts. I do not necessarily agree with his dominant points of view, but I am still interested, from a technical point of view in his analysis of economic issues of the day. Dr. Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Ronald Reagan administration and was and is a supply-side economist.

Roberts also makes commentaries on a number of prevailing social issues of the day, which brought him to the issue of the death of George Floyd. While I summarise and make selective reference to his commentary, I believe it only fair that he can be read in his own words ( see below – first link).

In his article Roberts provides a link to the official Medical Examiner’s Report which, interestingly, does not cite asphyxia as the cause of George Floyd’s death. Asphyxia, of course, is defined as deprivation of oxygen to the body which leads to either unconsciousness or death. Also, it refers to suffocation – so the person might very well say, when still conscious, ” I can’t breathe”.   So, let us reason on:-

” The title says that the ability of the police to deal with Floyd was complicated by Floyd’s undergoing cardiopulmonary arrest …”.

” Note the extensive heart disease that Floyd had…” ( he goes on to list same).

” No life-threatening injuries identified” ( very interesting observation this one – to which I shall return).

” A press release was issued from Hennepin County that lists ‘Manner of death: Homicide.’ This is a puzzle. Homicide is not supported by the medical examiner’s report.”

Let me stop there ( you can read Dr. Roberts  full  article below at the  first link). What I shall now do is make light then get serious. I am not a stranger to arguing cases of murder.

Let us say that a wife is a heavy smoker and a very heavy drinker ( i.e. she ingests two licit substances in excess on a regular basis). She and her husband have an altercation. The dispute escalates into physical violence. The husband grabs the wife by the neck and squeezes tightly. As he squeezes, all is caught on video. The wife is heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe.” The wife is seen to collapse about 9 minutes after the husband first held her neck. She is shortly thereafter pronounced dead.

I am retained to defend the husband on a murder charge. The case is presented and it is time for the defence to address the jury and I rise and say:-

” Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, the prosecution has argued that my client committed murder. I am stating categorically to you that he did not. I take you directly to the Medical Examiner’s Report which states, ” … that the ability of the ( Defendant) to deal with ( his wife) was complicated…”; ” Note the extensive heart disease that ( the wife) had”; “No life-threatening injuries identified”.  In the annals of murder trials – this shall be the shortest address on record, for by reference to the medical report – simply stated the only correct verdict I suggest to you as I appeal to your intelligence and sense of justice is a verdict that – my client did not commit murder.  I rest my client’s case in your capable and just hands.”

Now – I accept that Dr. Paul Craig Roberts did not utter the words above – but he might as well just have done so. So, why does he think in the way he does? I shall go wide to come narrow to the point that he is a well educated White Southerner from Georgia. I do not for a moment suggest that all White, well educated persons from Georgia are inclined to think and conclude as Dr. Roberts did. But, I shall share a couple of true experiences and you can then draw your own conclusions.

The man from whom I learned the effective application of law in complex international legal cases: As still a young lawyer in my twenties I had the opportunity to work in International law Chambers in London. The man under whom I worked was exceptionally helpful to me. I learned a lot of my skill set in that arena from him and remain grateful to this day. He later became a commercial Judge in England and is now retired. My loyalty is such that I do not call his name. We became friends and he visited me in Jamaica with his family on vacation. Once he invited me to stay with him on a visit to London and the story I share here relates to that stay.

There was a case of the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher wanting to prevent publication of a book entitled ‘Spy Catcher’, written by a retried MI6 agent named Peter Wright. Wright had included some information in the book which Thatcher found embarrassing and she wanted to silence and stop publication in Australia and elsewhere. My friend informed me of a dramatised version of the trial in Australia, faithful to the court proceedings records, which was being broadcast at the time I was staying with him. So, as lawyers, we sat together in his living room and watched the TV and a dramatic portion of which was the cross-examination conducted by Wright’s Counsel, Malcolm Turnbull, who grilled the official representative of Her Majesty’s Government. Turnbull’s thrust was that nothing was new in the book and that all the details which were opposed by Thatcher had previously been cleared by HMG for that and other books by other authors, had been published and had not been deemed to be in contravention of the UK’s Official Secrets Act. When Turnbull was finished the official, quite frankly, seemed quite stupid in respect of the questions being raised ( see the Guardian on point below). Now, to my point:-

My friend: “Didn’t Sir ( so and so) stand up brilliantly under cross-examination?”

 I was taken aback by the comment for the opposite was quite the truth. So, why did he say that? I never replied to him on the point, but did fully understand – White, English, Conservative English pride – my side is never stupid and cannot be seen to be wrong. See: Guardian commentary below.

The next instance I reference was a hearing on the death of the African activist in South Africa under Apartheid, Steve Biko. The lawyers for the deceased Biko brilliantly brought out, by way of cross-examination of the Apartheid authorities and jailers that Biko had been tortured and killed. The official Apartheid medical records directed attention to a hunger strike and ‘suicide.’

By reference to the two instances cited above, in the US in the year 2020, I must therefore ask three  questions:-

1. Is it the medical report upon which we must rely but not ask – if there is a knee of a heavy set man placed on a human being’s windpipe for 9 minutes – is the proximate cause of death asphyxia – or – is it as Dr. Roberts and the Medical Examiner would have us believe?
2. Is it that George Floyd had decided to commit ‘suicide’ and was fortunate and got a little extra assistance from a police officer the day he died?
3. Or, is it that in the US in 2020 there is a repressive state which, as in Biko’s case, displays a failure of the government-employed doctors to analyse in a manner which is rational and medically credible and consistent with the known evidence?

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P.S. I well and truly give Dr. Roberts a ‘gold medal’ for this comment in his article:-

” As far as I can ascertain, these are the prescribed procedures. The reason for Floyd being kept on his stomach is that “fentanyl’s effects include nausea.”

See “The Medical Examiner’s Report of George Floyd’s Death,” by Paul Craig Roberts – at PaulCraigRoberts.org – at  https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2020/07/08/the-medical-examiners-report-of-george-floyds-death/  .

See “From Spycatcher to prime minister: the Malcolm Turnbull I knew,” by Richard Norton-Taylor, THE GUARDIAN, at

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/14/malcolm-turnbull-spycatcher-lawyer-prime-minister .

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COURTENAY BARNETT is a graduate of London University. His areas of study were economics, political science and international law. He has been a practising lawyer for over thirty years, and has argued public interest and human rights cases. He has published several articles in the Effective Learning Report. He lives and works in the Caribbean

By COURTENAY BARNETT

“If we have World War III, then World War IV will be fought with bows and arrows.” 

( Attributed to a General – US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Omar Bradley – also to –  Albert Einstein; Bertrand Russel) 

I, like many other sentient homo sapiens,  am not disconnected from an awareness of the destructive capacities which humankind now possess nor do I rationally think that such forces could be unleashed at full strength and humankind hope to survive.  

Let me start with the relevant and applicable science. What is ‘science’? The best answer I have seen to date comes from Eric Blair ( nom de plume – George Orwell):- 

” Science is generally taken as meaning either (a) the exact sciences, such as chemistry, physics, etc., or (b) a method of thought which obtains verifiable results by reasoning logically from observed fact.” 

Stated in another way, science is an unrelenting pursuit of accuracy which seeks clarification of material existence to such verifiable level as is humanly possible. 

So, it is this mindset which I bring to bear on the topic at hand. 

This essay, written in 2020, fully seventy-five (75) years after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs, reflects on where we came from, and in a brief and selective manner, where, with applied scientific knowledge, we are heading to at present. 

To facilitate such brevity, I confine references and examples mainly to America and Russia. Why so? 

As best I have ascertained there are nine countries in the world possessing a total of 13, 355 nuclear weapons ( see link at 1 below). The US and Russia are hovering around the 6,000 mark, so these two countries as the two largest holders of these weapons of mass destruction  are of particular interest. 

Let us take a few steps back in time and then advance in a rational manner, as best we can. 

It is 1945 and the Japanese are defeated and have been making overtures to the then US President Harry Truman’s administration. Their attempts at surrender are totally ignored by Truman and the decision is made to conduct  an experiment on Japan. The two atomic bombs to be dropped are code-named “Fat man” and “Little Boy.” 

These two atomic bombs were detonated over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on  August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively. The human lives claimed were somewhere between 129,000 and 226,000 and these were mostly civilians. To date that is the only use of such weapons in human history with that amount of destructive force. 

Today, by reference to the figures previously citied, humankind has nuclear weapons with far more destructive force. So, how do we handle this situation some 75 years later? Permit me to reference George Kennan and then President Dwight D. Eisenhower in turn.  

George Kennan was a diplomat and historian, post WWII, who served a brief period as the  US Ambassador in Moscow ( then Soviet Union). He is credited as the chief US architect of the ‘Cold War’. I mention him to use  a couple of famous quotes of his to support my thesis:- 

” Were the Soviet Union to sink tomorrow under the waters of the ocean, the American military-industrial establishment would have to go on, substantially unchanged, until some other adversary could be invented. Anything else would be an unacceptable shock to the American economy.” 

And he had previously written:- 

” The Soviet government is already aware of the awful risk inherent in any use of these weapons, and there is no current or prospective Soviet ‘superiority’ that would tempt anyone in Moscow toward nuclear adventurism (All four of us are wholly unpersuaded by the argument advanced in recent years that the Soviet Union could ever rationally expect to gain from such a wild effort as a massive first strike on land-based American strategic missiles)”. (co-author, Foreign Affairs, 03.01.82)

I then go back to President Eisenhower’s farewell address ( see: 2 below). 

From this leader and a US expert in the field of international relations one can now make  some quick links from the 1945 bombings to the present day and raise some rational questions. 

First, the nuclear situation in Iran, traced from the 1953 CIA led coup which brought the Shah of Iran to power as a US puppet. Mohammad Mossadgh was a pro-western democracy leader who lawfully had decided to nationalise Iranian oil to benefit the Iranian people. He took his country’s case to the then World Court and as a professor of international law argued and won his country’s case. Then the CIA coup. Interestingly, it was the US which persuaded the Shah to acquire nuclear technology. At first the Shah was sceptical for he was aware of the significant reserves of Iranian oil and so did not initially see the need to acquire  nuclear power. The argument which persuaded him was that with nuclear power his country would be able to utilise such energy source domestically and then  have an increased  surplus of oil to sell on the international market. So, the US was central to introducing Iran to nuclear power. By, 1979 the people of Iran had had enough of the Shah’s dictatorial rule and rose up in a popular revolution and overthrew the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

One might briefly reflect on the US led ventures in Iraq in 2003 and in Libya in 2011. By contrast to Iran, Libya had voluntarily relinquished any further attempts at developing a nuclear reactor or nuclear weapons.  

Now to the issues and questions. 

Question 1: America is the world’s richest and largest economy, then why so much domestic strife, and why the need for and expansion of an ever ballooning military budget? Why such a contrast to a much smaller country such as Norway? Norwegians are all well educated, housed and have  fundamental human needs  more than adequately met. Why not the same with the needs of the American people? It cannot  be said that the resources are not available in abundance at the disposal of the US government – surely? 

Question 2: Why not a global  de-escalation of nuclear weaponry, for as Kennan accurately observed  those several years ago there  could be no rational deployment of such weapons. In modern terminology, such use would result in Mutually Assured Destruction ( MAD). Thus, what rational sense in expending resources to produce more of the same which cannot rationally be detonated? 

Question 3: Are states such as America, Russia and maybe now China, locked in a cycle of production within their own military-industrial complexes such that there is a self-perpetuating demand for on-going useless over production of nuclear weaponry which cannot rationally be used?

Beyond this point, having laid a base for logical and rational reflection – I proceed to one final question  – PEACE? 

1.       https://www.ploughshares.org/world-nuclear-stockpile-report?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI57jOzNOO6wIV3_3jBx3FGAZ9EAAYASAAEgIf3_D_BwE 

2.       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWiIYW_fBfY 

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COURTENAY BARNETT is a graduate of London University. His areas of study were economics, political science and international law. He has been a practising lawyer for over thirty years, and has argued public interest and human rights cases. He has published several articles in the Effective Learning Report. He lives and works in the Caribbean.https://majestyslotscasino.co.uk/

 

THE EARTHIAN, Number Eighteen, Effective Learning Publications, https://www.effectivelearning.net/effective-learning-publications.html 32 East Main Street, Statesboro, Georgia, USA, August 9, 2020   

THE EARTHIAN is a digest of articles containing facts, perspectives, theories, models, analyses, and recommendations concerned about existential states of affairs affecting all species of fauna and flora around Spaceship Earth. Recent relevant articles written and published by intelligent hard-hitting truth-seeking writers in Internet journals about psychological, social, economic, political, military, religious, and ecological states of affairs around Spaceship Earth are linked below as sources, following a usual comment by the editor.

“ASK LESS WHAT YOUR NATION CAN DO FOR YOU–ASK MORE WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR SPACESHIP EARTH”

OR SO IT SEEMS TO ME RIGHT NOW

By Richard John Stapleton

I just watched (8:19 PM, US EST, Saturday, August 7, 2020) Trump on CNN reading somewhere in New Jersey some sort of essay or “speech” someone wrote for him, rambling on about world affairs, such as the recent explosion in Beirut, Lebanon and the Covid plague, which he blamed on China, in which he parenthetically seemed to say in incomprehensible jumbled mumbled verbiage if the Dems do not do what he wants he will by executive order suspend FICA payments for Social Security for six months, “defunding” Social Security by abolishing what he calls “payroll taxes” as if they were some sort of evil, when in fact they are insurance retirement premiums due and paid under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act by the workers of the US and their employers.  

Seems to me, fellow USians, if Trump does this it will destroy Social Security. Are you really ready for this? The CNN talking heads were apparently oblivious to this possibility, with no discussion of the real issue, namely that so-called “payroll taxes” do not exist, and calling FICA payments payroll taxes is a lie, a lie told by almost everyone, including the CNN talking heads on this program who told it once again (honestly or dishonestly) to millions of Earthian humans.

The CNN talking heads on this program like most media and congress-brainwashed people of the US may really think FICA payments are taxes to be used to pay the ordinary bills of the US govt for political, civil, military, and reserve employees of the US govt, and for other matters, to fight wars with, or whatever, and are apparently oblivious to the possible consequences of Trump’s threat to suspend FICA payments, which surely he has no moral or ethical right to do, the Social Security system being owned by the workers of the US who have paid and pay their FICA retirement insurance premiums.

This Trump insanity and inhumanity could destroy the Social Security system of retirement of the millions of civilian free enterprise workers of the US.

How about Trump destroying the pension plans of rich non-worker USians instead?

It’s not that I have not thought about this social security payroll tax bullshit before. Here is what I had to say about it November 1, 2018 in my Effective Learning Report article “One More Time: ‘Payroll taxes’ ARE NOT TAXES,” at https://blog.effectivelearning.net/one-more-time-payroll-taxes-are-not-taxes/.

Seems to me Trump is getting increasingly erratic and bizarre as the looming presidential election gets closer and closer, about three months away.

On the other hand, as Tom Luongo points out in one of my Sources below the dim Dems are in no better shape with their candidate, Biden, who Luongo says has been rapidly declining recently with memory and thinking problems, and Dem establishment insiders know he is not a good candidate to go up against Trump in a debate, or election. Luongo said the Dems might even substitute someone else for Biden at their convention in about two weeks, also suggesting Biden’s running mate, assuming they don’t replace him at the convention, will be the real Dem candidate for president in the election. I agree.

Since there is a good chance Biden would soon resign for dementia health reasons after being inaugurated, the Dem Vice-President would become president. Therefore it would seem the Dems would make sure a good VP got selected.

How likely is this? It’s not a slam dunk, that’s for sure.  Since USian politics is primarily a matter of putting people in office, such as Biden, who will most likely satisfy the vested financial interests of the deep state and various personality and other desires of identity groups, there is no telling who the Dem VP will be, and, unfortunately very likely it won’t be a strong candidate such as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, who are far and away the best possibilities for we the people and the greater good, or so it seems to me right now.

In the last few weeks I have thought a good bit about why it is USians vote as they do in elections, looking at the matter through a transactional analysis lens, as shown in my articles cited as Sources below.

Unfortunately I am now convinced the art of politics around Spaceship Earth now and always has been based on a psychological Game I call “They Started It” in which politicians, citizens, subjects, and voters continuously and eternally play Games on a Drama Triangle composed of Persecutor, Rescuer, and Victim roles, switching about from time to time from one role to another, depending on which interest group or identity group they are dealing with, feeling justified in screwing the other because the other screwed them first.

Trump and his Secretary of State Pompeo seem to be enjoying playing NIGYSOB (Now I’ve Got You, You SOB) with the leaders of countries around Spaceship Earth right now, especially Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and China, sanctioning, bullying, threatening, and what have you, having a hi ho good time.

How they stand it I don’t know, but most politicians seem addicted to drama strokes, especially politicians like Donald J. Trump, a former and present TV beauty queen contest host, reality show star, and luxury hotel, casino, and golf club resort owner, who has lived on mostly drama strokes all his life, according to his niece Mary Trump, who has a PhD in clinical psychology, in her new tell-all book about their dysfunctional Trump family scripting.

She thinks her uncle is dangerous and should be removed as president as soon as possible. Seems to me she’s right. 

His experience bankrupting six corporations and his very public sleazy personal life prove he lacks the judgment, morals, and ethics required to manage a sustainable large and complex organization such as the US government and to lead equitable and satisfying social and economic systems for everyone. He’s a successful showman, but a poor and untrustworthy leader and manager, caused by his family scripting.

Unfortunately one can build a good case that the USian process of selecting top leaders and managers for many decades has not worked in such a way as to select good leaders and managers who can produce the greater good for the greater number, but I will stop right here, before opening more Pandora’s boxes than I could close in this comment.

Suffice it to say the next three months of USian history will be interesting, probably disgusting, and possibly terrifying.

For more information regarding my use of Transactional Analysis  https://www.itaaworld.org/  to create better discussion groups and democratic processes see my book Born to Learn:  A Transactional Analysis of Human Learning.  https://www.amazon.com/Born-Learn-Transactional-Analysis-Learning/dp/0692584331 

For more information on how to co-construct better organizations and economic systems using TA see my book   Business Voyages:  Mental Maps, Scripts, Schemata, and Tools for Co-Constructing Your Own Business Worlds   https://www.amazon.com/Business-Voyages-Schemata-Discovering-Co-Constructing/dp/1413480810

See my article “The Evolution of Spaceship Earth, Inc,”  https://blog.effectivelearning.net/the-evolution-of-spaceship-earth-inc/   for some management science ideas on how human Earthians might eventually co-construct an economic system that is viable and satisfying for everyone aboard Spaceship Earth, making it possible for all Earthian humans to develop an I’m OK–You’re OK life position. 

This entails Earthians peacefully reducing through natural attrition the human population aboard Spaceship Earth, never doing work that machines can do better, and delegating the day-to-day management of systems for scheduling, producing, and distributing the necessities of life to artificial intelligence programs and supercomputers.

This can be done using linear programming based on the general algorithmic matrix algebra form

Max CjXj, s.t. AijXj ≤, =, or ≥ Bi

as explained in “The Evolution of Spaceship Earth, Inc.”   https://blog.effectivelearning.net/the-evolution-of-spaceship-earth-inc/  

Flying aboard an airliner about to land at night moving at four hundred miles an hour at thirty thousand feet with cloudy and rainy weather below, which would you rather have landing the plane, the plane’s computer system or the pilot and co-pilot, seeing nothing out their windows but clouds and lightning?

I am indebted to Buckminster Fuller for teaching me in his book Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth the metaphor in the above paragraph and other big ideas in my essay “The Evolution of Spaceship Earth, Inc.,” such as computers being the best hope for mankind and humans not doing work that machines can do better, being paid to think instead with what he called mind grants. To my knowledge Fuller was the inventor of the appellations Earthian and Spaceship Earth.   

For details regarding my transactional analysis and management science qualifications see my RJS Academic Vita at https://www.effectivelearning.net/rjs-academic-vita.html.   

TO RESPOND:

As usual this month’s THE EARTHIAN  links and cites as SOURCES recent articles written and published by clear deep-thinking hard-hitting independent writers on various Earthian states of affairs.

Some Game playing goes on in the articles, i.e., a writer is psychologically persecuting, rescuing, or victimizing someone, but it seems to me the writers are generally trying to paint accurate pictures of what they think is really going on.

Unfortunately it seems to me one can build a case politicians spend most of their time playing psychological Games, mostly wasting their time and energy pastiming (bullshitting) and engaging in rituals (shuffling paper, filling out unnecessary forms, attending useless meetings with lawyers and others, and the like). Almost everything done in so-called foreign policy is a move in a psychological Game it seems to me.

It’s not easy, impossible some say, to separate relevant from irrelevant focal points in order to comprehend global cases, systems, and processes, while being inundated with fake news and true facts of states of affairs generated daily around Spaceship Earth, made public on the Internet, and elsewhere, to see what’s really going on, using primarily inductive and analogical reasoning, based on probability, not deductive logic. Almost never can anyone prove with deductive logic that a general proposition about psychological, social, economic, or political states affairs is absolutely true. About the best humans can hope for is to develop consensual answers that are generally acceptable and true based on probability.

It’s better to be honestly wrong than dishonestly wrong. Telling someone something you know is fake as if it were true is worse than telling someone something that’s fake because of genuine ignorance. A good case in point these days is most USians calling FICA insurance premium payments “payroll” taxes. It’s hard to know if sayers calling FICA payments payroll taxes really do not know any better or if they really do know better but are overtly lying about it go along with the crowd to get political brownie points for conforming to a group lie.

It seems to me most lying is lying by omission, people not telling people things they know are true that others need to know. Whether lying by omission is more or less harmful than lying by commission, telling people things you know are false and fake, is debatable, as is proving whether it’s getting easier or harder for most people to know what’s fake and what’s not. Political parties, Earthian governments, and Mainstream media lie by omission with alacrity.

If you have ideas on how to democratically discuss in Game-free ways economic and political problems and opportunities in something like the Ogeechee Economic Forum at  https://www.effectivelearning.net/ogeechee-economic-forum.html.

go to our RESPONSES page and let us know about them at  https://www.effectivelearning.net/responses.html .

Feel free to respond with comments and criticisms about any of the SOURCES listed below using the RESPONSES post on this blog masthead at the top of this page; but please refrain from making ad hominem attacks. Criticize and correct any of the facts, data, evidence, reasoning, and conclusions in any of the articles; but please refrain from slandering and defaming the characteristics and reputations of the authors illogically using slanderous or defamatory comments trying to prove their arguments and conclusions in their articles are wrong, and yours are right.

I have no desire to sell subscriptions or advertising or solicit donations for THE EARTHIAN, but I would like to sell more books. If you feel you’ve gained value from THE EARTHIAN and would like to reciprocate go to our Effective Learning Publications page and purchase one or more copies of my books at   https://www.effectivelearning.net/effective-learning-publications.html  .

FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO THE EFFECTIVE LEARNING REPORT AND THE EARTHIAN: Email [email protected] and enter the word Subscription on the subject line.     

Feel free to forward, share, post, print, or otherwise circulate The Earthian any way you see fit.  

Richard John Stapleton, PhD, CTA, certified transactional analyst, educator, octogenarian emeritus professor of management, writer, editor and publisher

SOURCES:

August 9, 2020

Well, he may have done it now, and the repugs may have gotten what they wanted all along–the destruction of social security for the working people of the US. They may be thinking they should have been more careful about what they wished for before this is all over. Be sure and read my (Richard’s) comments about this in response to several Sources posted below. The bottom line is that almost the entire country has been hoodwinked into believing, or saying, that payroll taxes actually exist. I have dispelled that notion in several posts below.

“Trump Signs Executive Orders On Coronavirus Relief, Payroll Tax,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/watch-live-trump-make-announcement-major-news-conference  

August 7

No right whatsoever to do this. Another abomination contemplated by Trump. No such thing as payroll tax. He’s talking about suspending FICA premium payments for social security insurance, created by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act of 1935. Surely he’s not this stupid, or anti-social. Only USian workers who have paid into the SSS have a moral and ethical right to decide to eliminate FICA insurance premium payments for their retirement plan, which would destroy Social Security as we know it.

“Can Trump legally suspend payroll taxes by executive order?,” by Stephen Lendman, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30498

August 7

Is it legal for a USian president to suspend FICA premium payments by workers and their employers into the Social Security trust fund for their retirement plans? Or is this just more of Trump’s idiotic incompetent pop-off lying bullshit? If he does have a right to do this, then it is the most insane unfair right I ever heard of. Pure theft pure and simple. Neither Trump nor the USian govt owns the Social Security retirement system for USian workers. USian workers who have paid into the SSS and who now pay into it own it, as provided by the Federal Insurance Contribution Act of 1935. Again, dammit, so-called “payroll taxes” as this dunce of a president calls them here are not taxes. They are FICA retirement insurance premiums paid by workers and their employers into the only retirement system for all civilian USian workers, namely Social Security. Stop this insane theft now! Before it happens illegally! As if USian workers were not poor enough and insecure enough now, this dunce of a president wants to make them even poorer and more insecure, by stripping them of any hope of a retirement income.. Shameless. How about this dunce robbing the retirement plans of the rich instead?

“Retirees vow to ‘fight this attempt to gut Social Security as Trump announces executive order to suspend payroll tax,” by Jake Johnson, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30495.  

August 7

Scary

“Black gun-rights groups have started open-carry marches at anti-racism protests,” by Peter Weber, YAHOO.COM, https://news.yahoo.com/black-gun-rights-groups-started-055400061.html?soc_src=hl-viewer&soc_trk=fb.

August 7

Some good information on the Pentagon

“Why Is the Pentagon a Pentagon?, by Alicia Ault, SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-is-the-pentagon-a-pentagon?utm_source=pocket-newtab&fbclid=IwAR3eEgNShLsjlJBmSd9qAD9vW_MzhbpY4NdCVqP__rl99w51yyIk2sRSGdU.

August 7

How relevant is this?

“Russia-China ‘Dedollarization’ Reaches ‘Breakthrough Moment’ As Countries Ditch Greenback for Bilateral Trade,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/russia-china-dedollarization-reaches-breakthrough-moment-countries-ditch-greenback?fbclid=IwAR2IrtoVrWIGHztJuIHxQfsHpDwUehiHD57GT4X3ZF_8Sx7grg68qIQcyI0.

August 7

what the… Does Trump now think he can nationalize the pharmaceutical industry by an executive order? Is this just more of his lyin’ bullshit? If true, yes, I would say it would engender him more than a few enemies, and he might need to lay low for a while. Does he think this might get him reelected? For sure it would get him a lot of votes. But if he is able to shut off FICA premium payments and destroy Social Security, as he has also tweeted he wants to do in the last few days, he will lose more votes than this bombast, if enacted, would win him, or so it seems to me.

“Trump: ‘This May be the Last Time You’ll See Me for a While’,” by Paul Joseph Watson, SUMMIT NEWS, https://summit.news/2020/08/07/trump-this-may-be-the-last-time-youll-see-me-for-a-while/?fbclid=IwAR1Q1j01szXwY7nmBmvWhOHXx25D6_OAnLrwcpjYS3qP-aJxUNpJLC2FdzY.

August 7

Some cogent outside the box thinking by Tom Luongo

“The DNC Convention is the Election, by Tom Luongo, STRATEGIC-CULTURE.ORG, https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/08/06/dnc-convention-is-election/?fbclid=IwAR2iOZNNzZLFvSysIpQX8y559y1vT2i1gaeK0gBo0y_ssJfdyl3zoc5Dfuk.

August 7

Nauseating ad infinitum bullshit. No country plays fair with other countries around Spaceship Earth. And the process will probably continue moving right over the cliff, into human extinction. Nations are like agitated immature children playing a “You Started It” Game, infinitely telling one another they are justified in screwing the other because the other screwed them first. There are no good guys in this Game, in which the leaders of large countries always win, since it gives them more power in the short run to exploit their loser underlings in their own countries, a short term win for them regardless of the long term outcome for everyone. And the short term is about all that ever counts for humans.

“New York Times Quietly Scrubs Paid Chinese Propaganda from Website,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/political/new-york-times-quietly-scrubs-paid-chinese-propaganda-website?fbclid=IwAR1biWzXseMFvLHk6JTOA4hWPkbiwbAb8VIVKHE4mkL-Da6flNXrRJQkLt8.

August 6

Interesting but long

“Ireland and Slavery: Debating the ‘Irish Slaves Myth’,” by Brian Kelly, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/06/ireland-and-slavery-debating-the-irish-slaves-myth/?fbclid=IwAR3eEgNShLsjlJBmSd9qAD9vW_MzhbpY4NdCVqP__rl99w51yyIk2sRSGdU.

August 6

Probably another shameless act of USian bullying

“Trump’s Iraq envoy quits administration as U.S. pushes embargo,” PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEM, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/trumps-iran-envoy-quits-administration-as-u-s-pushes-embargo?fbclid=IwAR27RvjYNVROWrFKj9DXfwLYypeeZTOXQZTsG3m23Yfpy6tH_UzyvqoqKsA.

August 6

Say it aint so Joe

“How the Fascists Won World War II,” by Bruce Franklin, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/06/how-the-fascists-won-world-war-ii/?fbclid=IwAR1Y8SOCwkz8_Cdbv5nkVff1zGqBn5H2_FLd_8NdD8H2gdDyhvHeIS92pss.

August 6

A rare video on religious freedom

“Mrs. Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian,” by Andrew Bradley, RJS FACEBOOK, https://www.facebook.com/richard.stapleton.397. 

August 6

Somethin’ to think about

“Water Wars and America’s Fate,” by Martin Sieff, STRATEGIC-CULTURE.ORG, https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/08/05/water-wars-and-america-fate/?fbclid=IwAR000ctTweSVvW1TFmfNIdbnNyp-YMH2mNkBFJ7REfNhv13LjHXzbwnBvGk.

August 6

Biden is not ok as a presidential candidate in my view but he is definitely the lesser evil this time around, thanks to Dem voters and their identity party-line politics in their primaries, setting him up against Trump instead of Bernie Sanders. Both parties would have you believe nobody can think for themselves anymore irrespective of their identity.

“is Trump Evil?,” by Richard John Stapleton, EFFECTIVE LEARNING REPORT, https://blog.effectivelearning.net/is-trump-evil/?fbclid=IwAR3GnccxXXIkLVEMx2O-TYBmqgzhqHvcrD_Lg6xKyKL4dNY68llky0rZ3-c.

August 6

Anti-fascists are now the bad guys and the fascists are the good guys under Trump, and democracy be damned, Bush II being a prime instigator of the process, who made it easier for Trump to stifle the first amendment of the Constitution even more, freedom of speech, by signing this legislation, The Homeland Security Act of 2002.

“The Department of Homeland Security: the ideal Authoritarian Tool, by Melvin Goodman, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/05/the-department-of-homeland-security-the-ideal-authoritarian-tool/?fbclid=IwAR3SoQQmwjRWeinj7d7ghQ80O_pylJTu3Lveiv80TeT1Lvac4WN_SGKU8TQ.

August 5

Some good points here

“Why Housing is a Human Right,” by Lee Camp, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/05/why-housing-is-a-human-right/?fbclid=IwAR1dzD5RlHs-vna9nMD5nsDIiYI-sQl8KVtCU7DkwxhGh1t_zAocJlJ5S2Q.

August 5

Another great essay by Paul Street, one of the greatest writers alive, pointing out once again that several wrongs do not make a right, and neither right nor might necessarily makes right.

“Misleaders at a Funeral: Bill Clinton and Barack Obama Eulogizing Racial Justice in the Name of John Lewis,” by Paul Street, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/05/misleaders-at-a-funeral-bill-clinton-and-barack-obama-eulogizing-racial-justice-in-the-name-of-john-lewis/?fbclid=IwAR0u5PlSiWWI1MYl7sgZ3jtTJEu2jy8JZA50_QTUCQjvVejt8WT-Wxs0hb0.

August 5

No right whatsoever to do this. Another abomination contemplated by Trump. No such thing as payroll tax. He’s talking about suspending FICA premium payments for social security insurance, created by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act of 1935. Surely he’s not this stupid, or anti-social. Only USian workers who have paid into the SSS have a moral and ethical right to decide to eliminate FICA insurance premium payments for their retirement plan, which would destroy Social Security as we know it.

“Trump Threatens Unilateral Suspension of Payroll Tax, by Jake Johnson, TRUTHOUT, https://truthout.org/articles/trump-threatens-unilateral-suspension-of-payroll-tax/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR2_ysNsN4fsUI5uX8N_XAO_i3vPvIBaRxe6S4kFKCV6v9Ak_t00cC6tDEU.

August 5

As a former sailboat owner and captain sailing in the Atlantic Ocean I appreciate Blain’s metaphor here. The longer I sailed the more dangerous I saw it was, so i sold my boat. Over four million humans are now employed by the USian federal government, counting active military, civil service, reserve, judicial, and political employees (such as senators and representatives). On the other hand there are countless millions of USians now dependent on federal government contracts, subsidies, loans, military bases, stimulus plans, and what have you. As more and more insolvent corporations (too big to fail New York banks, General Motors, and many others) get rescued with Fed govt contracts, loans, subsidies, stimulus packages, and what not, a larger and larger percentage of USians will become dependent on the Fed govt for a living, presumably infinitely supplied with Fed Reserve funny money created out of thin air by simply punching digits into Fed Reserve computers and calling the resulting numbers money. A similar process is at play in most other large countries. If the process continues long enough all Earthian govts might as well do what fascist Corporate America has done, merge, and take over larger shares of resources around Spaceship Earth. For more on how this might play out see my article “The Evolution of Spaceship Earth, Inc.” at https://blog.effectivelearning.net/the-evolution-of-spaceship-earth-inc/

“Blain’s Mornng Porridge,” by Bill Blain, THE MORNING PORRIDGE, https://morningporridge.com/the-morning-porridge/f/blain%E2%80%99s-morning-porridge-%E2%80%93-august-5th-2020-the-gathering-wave?fbclid=IwAR1m3VRWgO8AxlU8GjabWRQAA_Cm7qIUnB9H-PfWVBVY6kivfetk2MvtgTg.

August 5

Is it legal for a USian president to suspend FICA premium payments by workers and their employers into the Social Security trust fund for their retirement plans? Or is this just more of Trump’s idiotic pop-off lying bullshit? If he does have a right to do this, then it is the most insane unfair right I ever heard of. Pure theft pure and simple. Neither Trump nor the USian govt owns the Social Security retirement system for USian workers. USian workers who have paid into the SSS own it, as provided by the Federal Insurance Contribution Act of 1935. Again, dammit, so-called “payroll taxes” as this dunce of a president calls them here are not taxes. They are FICA retirement insurance premiums paid by workers and their employers into the only retirement system for all civilian USian workers, namely Social Security. Stop this insane theft now! Before it happens illegally! As if USian workers were not poor enough and insecure enough now, this dunce of a president wants to make them even poorer and more insecure, by stripping them of any hope of a retirement income.. Shameless. How about this idiot robbing the retirement plans of the rich instead?

“Trump Touts ‘Big Jobs Numbers’ Expected Friday, May Suspend Payroll Tax,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/trump-may-suspend-payroll-tax-recovery-stalls?fbclid=IwAR3aQh38rcfQOf0b4cIRj0l8BWjmflAfpD6Yv2sFH4VGkHLzs9DUbAU6mEE.

August 5

Sounds like an unfair and inhumane thing for the USian govt to do

“US Navy Seizes Iran-Bound Shi Carrying Pharmaceutical Supplies Off China: Fars,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-navy-seizes-ship-carrying-pharmaceutical-supplies-china-iran-fars-says?fbclid=IwAR2F4qL9EkkveO31ndZmQMdpz–xCJkSfOQHuSnZg0fo9-hEexwG_PZiltY.

August 4

Excellent article by John Pilger one of the greatest investigative reporters of our time. Say it aint so joe, that the bomb was not dropped to save USian lives but to threaten the Russians.

“Another Hiroshima is Coming…Unless We Stop It Now,” by John Pilger, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/04/another-hiroshima-is-coming-unless-we-stop-it-now/?fbclid=IwAR2_ysNsN4fsUI5uX8N_XAO_i3vPvIBaRxe6S4kFKCV6v9Ak_t00cC6tDEU.

August 4

Of course there is no accountability for the us govt. It makes up the truth as it sees fit, and if you propose a different version you are labeled a conspiracy theorist. Under trump, it’s even worse. he just makes up truth he thinks will work in his personal favor, and his supporters gobble it up, sort of like the erstwhile infallibility of catholic popes.

“Accountability is Gone in America,” by Karen J. Greenberg, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/03/accountability-is-gone-in-america/?fbclid=IwAR2Qf4ur5ECu4PJSkOXZZ_xlklAvZMx1IYmerbpggjsjW8VXaKqEWfL_fv4.

August 3

How the US was taken over in a fascist evolution–1, large corporations and the elite rich decided in 1980 or so another good and easy way to make money was to give money to repug and dem federal politicians to lower their taxes and enact legislation in their favor that would enable said politicians to get reelected over and over, 2, it worked, and another cash cow strategy was enacted, namely appointing right wing supreme court judges who would put laws in place such as Citizens United that defined large corporations as people and therefore having rights of free speech, insuring they could give their bought and paid for lackey politicians even more money to lower their taxes and enact favorable corporate legislation, and, 3, since corporations have always been fascist dictatorships and since they are now running the US govt, we the people of the US are now subjects at the mercy of a relatively fascist government, not citizens willingly obeying the fair laws and legislation of democratic non-career representatives working in our behalf in Washington.

“How the Billionaires Control Ameican Elections,” by Eric Zuesse, STRATEGIC-CULTURE.ORG, https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/07/31/how-the-billionaires-control-american-elections/?fbclid=IwAR3yWPHb7oyOIXqdsBP9IdfzYbTVe2vjulLeaqwJI2tAN6DUbcM_0i5oFtY.

August 2

Agree

“Insurgents and Iconoclasts Needed (But for Now Lay Low,” by Andrew Levine, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/31/insurgents-and-iconoclasts-needed-but-for-now-lay-low/?fbclid=IwAR0-u2xSWxcwIcP8ZBjoAP680JkvyEwyBGIDXlR_vNggIes7BQWjnjx3seA.

August 1

Right as rain

“Yesterday’s Man is Today’s Candidate for President,” by Dan La Botz, NEWPOLITICS, https://newpol.org/yesterdays-man-is-todays-candidate-for-president/?fbclid=IwAR3A_H2rA_9SH86fmkD2Pxx1Z-ksLgnatJe__O-CQx4iydhHKPBUQqmKrk0.

August 2

Ever hear of extinction rebellion?

“Chris Hedges and Roger Hallan: Only Nonviolent Rebelliion Can Now Stop Climate Breakdown and Social Collapse,” by Chris Hedges, DANDELION SALAD, https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2020/08/01/chris-hedges-and-roger-hallam-only-nonviolent-rebellion-can-now-stop-climate-breakdown-and-social-collapse/?fbclid=IwAR20Fr2zLD7Sp7IWFiF1ILO6O9spM6HImTUCi8OVVZPrYmnK9iW5GMwXwQg.

August 1

I had no idea they could do this sort of thing. The damnest thing i ever heard of. Have they no shame?

“Boris Johnson puts own brother and billionaire donoir in House of Lords for life,” by Dan Bloom, MIRROR, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-puts-brother-billionaire-22450311?fbclid=IwAR2b2FUnPL-oPkASXGeFXsTVojHf0RT2M5qDgRX0zn-KCPFkyB9Q0i1Koso.

August 1

Good article

“Dear America, it’s Time To Stop Calling Donald Trump ‘President’,” by Michael Rudin, HUFFPOST, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/now-or-never-an-open-letter-to-literally-everyone_b_5913644ce4b0d928baa249ad?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003&fbclid=IwAR0p0E_DIgspwj3KVEnrNnhP3ATeZeQAzZOfmokHorgzlcsuihr0Kk6RHVs.

August 1

How sad

“House Approves $740 Billion Pentag0on Budget While Millions Can’t Afford Rent,” by Eoin Higgins, COMMON DREAMS, https://truthout.org/articles/house-approves-740-billion-pentagon-budget-while-millions-cant-afford-rent/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR2U5L3WuJtjbQlJ7HobPtSyenSjN42r3f9ychhzrEYpcnkONFWuU14MIS0.

August 1

Excellent treatise on slavery

“The Slave Trade and the Jews,” by David Brion Davis, THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS, https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1994/12/22/the-slave-trade-and-the-jews/?fbclid=IwAR3ttfgdRqQAiz1PaWS5l2wXiOtjyWR76-gayt-n0ZfdMELuHiTIlNNd_Ig.

July 31

Have they gone mad or are they greedy and cowardly?

“A ‘brazen giveaway’ GOP HEALS

 Act is a $30 billion bonanza for the Pentagon,” by Alan Macleod, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30433.

July 31

Say it aint so Joe

“Russiagate, Nazis, and the Cia,” by Rob Urie, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/31/russiagate-nazis-and-the-cia/?fbclid=IwAR0hsJyypKsT2x-CctoHI_0IhEDTjfuWFgShBvIxuoTVW5hvT2hMQZHMJE0.

July 31

A good account of what is going on in Portand

“Tear Gas and Thugs at the BLM Protests in Portand,” by Bette Lee, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/31/tear-gas-and-thugs-at-the-blm-protests-in-portland/?fbclid=IwAR19sdNf9TjIuej2EPWsdptmPQAmC95niRAcVEAFnOVQZ1k8X5xoTIYbOb8.

July 31

Pathetic. One of the most dastardly deeds Trump has done, no doubt somehow thinking it will help his chances of re-election.

“With Trump Donor in Charge, USPS May Shut Locations, Cut Services Before Election,” by Igor Derysh, TRUTHOUT, https://truthout.org/articles/with-trump-donor-in-charge-usps-may-shut-locations-cut-service-before-election/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR3xX17vEKpFzO-LPspv-me676uv-c9fQWKc2-Rrntl_lX0lUMpwdPOIbac.

July 31

Seemingly well reasoned

“The real Joe Biden: what would his presidency look like?,” by Freddy Gray, THE SPECTATOR, https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-real-joe-biden-what-would-his-presidency-look-like?fbclid=IwAR063LWp1V9TYRatseIsiHkmcs5ql5KJOHG-bIU-qcx2gmO5ilUhFwhkYLs.

July 29

Agree

“The USA must drop charges against Julian Assange,” AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/julian-assange-usa-justice/?fbclid=IwAR1KkKSvszJYnKx0BcF8WqHKzUthd8vDVkWBWVQfnTCPvFd23Byb-4hIqf8.

July 29

Bought off most likely

“DNC Platform Committee Votes Down Medicare for All Amemdment,” by Jake Johnson, TRUTHOUT, https://truthout.org/articles/dnc-platform-committee-votes-down-medicare-for-all-amendment/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR1pJvdSle2Oth74wT75-N09j5zotHjTc-wZTNhvnhAHcZKnZcKVisoEKOo.

July 28

Say it aint so Joe

“‘Like Nothing We’ve Ever Seen’: Imminent Eviction Wave is Coming To These States,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/imminent-eviction-waves-could-be-seen-these-states?fbclid=IwAR17V7gvLCLXPTPmCNSLci1LWyyNzt5FBumuFSBBXeIHtODRy41gXl9-urk.

July 27

Life just aint fair; that’s all there is to it.

“High and Dry in the Mojave,” by Jeffrey St. Clair, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/24/high-and-dry-in-the-mojave-2/?fbclid=IwAR3CN-UhNGrt0xsmQxL9y0iZnkfILUNRDonTQHOLyyPasMyPtLq3CNH9fpM,

July 27

Sad and scary

“The federal coup to overthrow the states and nix the 10^th Amendment is underway,” by John W. Whitehead, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30372.

July 27

Say it aint so Joe

“What caused Americans to become Nazis?,” by Eric Zuesse, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30374.

July 26

Why is it these people want to get rid of the post office?  Is it sheer greed?

“The Decades-Long Battle to Privatize the Post Office Could Be Coming to a Head,” by Janine Jackson, TRUTHOUT, https://truthout.org/audio/the-decades-long-battle-to-privatize-the-post-office-could-be-coming-to-a-head/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR2pxg0vhgFWfjgB-5kZycmcT9xHlP0jfX-5jPUyYaOnwoanWKL6BBaxVNw.

July 26

We’ve got a long way to go before it gets this bad again.

“The Worst Year in History?,” by Saamir Ansari, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/worst-year-history?fbclid=IwAR2QB_2XLK6B5iJI9TwBt7-pyIIqNLGh492NrnG9et4z3A8FODDItPQThlI.

July 26

About as wrong as it gets. and to think my father worked on the island of Okinawa during WWII as a Seabee building airstrips for a US airbase there when i was three years old. And the US military is still there. The US military industrial complex is now almost the equivalent of an offshore USian socialistic nation state scattered around Spaceship Earth serving the interests of USian imperialists. not what the USian government was set up to be in its constitution. None of the founding fathers of the US would have ever imagined or approved of what has happened.

“The New Cold War Heats Up,” by Brian Coughley, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/24/the-new-cold-war-heats-up-2/?fbclid=IwAR0FXj-lOdIcFAL7_Vv4Zt3RWZdYUXUcfi9JAwNXycbqsqnqFQtHVerUVAI.

July 25

Well, apparently he did it today or yesterday August 7 or 8, using an executive order. Can’t believe it. What will happen now. Off the chart shameless. The worst thing he has done in my view. Could be catastrophic.

“Trump: No COVID Aid Unless Congress Defunds Social Security,” SOCIAL SECURITY WORKS, https://socialsecurityworks.org/2020/07/16/trump-is-holding-covid-aid-hostage-for-his-1-priority-defunding-social-security/?fbclid=IwAR3egSvcXZerURbx0WAQhesio9Q5EszrXVuk_F6aJmxZcj1weQXYZwhfTlY.

July 25

Been wondering about this sort of thing in Georgia. Read in the last year or so in a newsletter published by the late great Jack Hill our GA state senator here in Statesboro at the time that the Georgia legislature was considering a bill that would allow state retirement systems to invest a higher percentage of state retirement funds in hedge fund type investments and venture capital type investments, a very bad idea in my opinion. Not only would the investments entail higher risks of loss but open the door for corruption, e.g., what sort of board would decide who would get the venture capital retirement investment money using what sort of criteria for various new ventures? Never did read or hear what became of this idea, whether it made its way into law or not. Hope not.

“A Huge Wall Street Scandal Just Exploded in Kentucky,” by David Sirota, JACOBIN, https://jacobinmag.com/2020/07/kentucky-stephen-schwarzman-private-equity?fbclid=IwAR3dL7ztW4Fpe2mVI_bxjxD0UpQ8sryt-jMEPn6TxXF1IQ7fiFludR53Deg.

July 25

Say it aint so Joe

“Trump deploying more federal forces to 3 cities,” MSNBC, https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/trump-deploying-more-federal-forces-to-3-cities-88150085561?fbclid=IwAR3egSvcXZerURbx0WAQhesio9Q5EszrXVuk_F6aJmxZcj1weQXYZwhfTlY.

July 24

Agree

“Author Chris Hedges: Both political parties have betrayed working class,” by Chris Hedges, YOUTUBE, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_aOVnbrdUQ&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR2pxg0vhgFWfjgB-5kZycmcT9xHlP0jfX-5jPUyYaOnwoanWKL6BBaxVNw.

July 24

They never let up do they? Another back door to try to get through. Why the hell do the repugs want to destroy the retirement system of US middle and lower income civilians?

“GOP Coronavirus Relief Package to Include Romney Bill That Would ‘Fast-Track Social Security and Medicare Cuts,” by Jake Johnson, COMMON DREAMS, https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/07/24/gop-coronavirus-relief-package-include-romney-bill-would-fast-track-social-security?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0_0FAdOgRjYbNC860-kBTsBpQOODm0ggJ_rIGnHnwhSgv2vvugNkreJYw.

July 24

“A LIST OF ALL ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE EFFECTIVE LEARNING REPORT SINCE SEPTEMBER 2016”, https://blog.effectivelearning.net/a-list-of-all-articles-published-in-the-effective-learning-report/?fbclid=IwAR26T20N48uDJwDEprfIubNmMjT6O8d40zPV-MyNZtEy1qAtGyr0fRQJRXI.

August 23

Say what

“Philadelphia DA Says He Will Have Trump’s Forces Arrested if They ‘Assault and Kidnap’ Protestors,” by Chris Walker, TRUTHOUT, https://truthout.org/articles/philadelphia-da-says-trumps-police-will-be-arrested-if-they-assault-protesters/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR3cyG4ZPOrfQhJkEitbjDSYuOOUOtaTrpVT1KgxnleVYmN5znUN2IByWvE.

July 20

Hope they win

“ACLU Sues Federal Agents in Portland,” ACLU.ORG, https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-sues-federal-agents-portland?fbclid=IwAR3-wWpNAOr7f56JmzzatnDL0TG2LMWPeglOJfDyYQ1IaP1MajTonrbZtHw.

July 20

One more time! There’s no such thing at US “payroll taxes”. What these thieves are calling payroll taxes are FICA payments, Federal Insurance Contribution Act payments for Social Security. Deferring the FICA payments (in reality partially paying back money the Fed Govt has borrowed from the Social Security trust fund) amounts to defaulting on loans from the Social Security trust fund and stealing current real money FICA payments collected from workers to fund their Social Security retirement systems. A shameless abominable crime in the making. Or, if you want to look at it another way, these thieves are deciding for workers that they no longer need a Social Security retirement system to be paid for with FICA payments.

“GOP Stimulus Bill To Include Payroll Tax ‘Deferral’ and Direct Payments, Reduced Unemployment Boost,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/political/gop-stimulus-bill-include-payroll-tax-deferral-and-direct-payments-reduced-unemployment?fbclid=IwAR3nWGbvkOzUKkU4nP1ph_PQKXMVJhWxFUaZZhISJoMEP6Yt_lRuBm4rPXg.

July 19

Lotta worms in these cans

“Mnuchin Suggests US Should Forgive ‘Small’ Loans Of $150,000 Or Less,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/mnuchin-suggests-us-should-forgive-small-ppp-loans-150000-or-less?fbclid=IwAR1w80FJtyrKrPToeQ68pYbq5zui9RSK5h47AFh6UMCx14V5C8-9PsDjBQo.

July 18

Is melting permafrost the most dangerous immediate environmental threat?

“The Sky is Falling – Yes – No,” by Robert Hunziker, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/17/the-sky-is-falling-yes-no/?fbclid=IwAR2f7TJYsNwdeGmhOinawwBiTNdicm7nFhlJpvFRSUTxgCYT9Dpm9tctbqE.

July 18

Agree

“Why Government Mostly Helps People Who Need It the Least…Even During a Crisis,” by Richard D. Wolff, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/17/why-government-mostly-helps-people-who-need-it-the-least-even-during-a-crisis/?fbclid=IwAR3POUIzp5wHmBTUnexDdKfdIe59TuTRCsrRM9wt33COFasleDhzoR4jTe4

July 18

Another excellent article by Bob Urie. Agree completely. Too bad most USians will never read this. But if they did most likely it would be water running off a duck’s back for most of them. Yes, the situation is dire.

“Economic Crisis and the Question of Capitalism,” by Bob Urie, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/17/economic-crisis-and-the-question-of-capitalism/?fbclid=IwAR0zsNkjfHNepaSYvIIj-G4hkhSqqNiKhLLNbVhy2GoaT7rj2gLYu7z1OF8.

July 18

Say it aint so Joe

“The lost boys: the white working class is being left behind,” by Christopher Snowden, SPECTATOR, https://spectator.us/lost-boys-white-working-class-being-left-behind/?fbclid=IwAR0AMlf_oQKtP-tldyWu6zna7-QNQTATmni9OC-LV-Ip2K_6AT3QKQ7D9zg.

July 17

Somethin’ to think about here

“The Unaddressed Imperialism in the Progressive Movement,” by Lucas Waggoner, THE INDEPENDENT, https://theindependent.io/mcscnetwork/news/hypocritical-humanism-the-unaddressed-imperialism-in-the-progressive-movement-A3-OrvXCCE6-EkTbl2NuyA?fbclid=IwAR1w80FJtyrKrPToeQ68pYbq5zui9RSK5h47AFh6UMCx14V5C8-9PsDjBQo.

July 17

Devastating

“Fraud of Trump’s self-made persona exposed in father’s financials,” Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/fraud-of-trump-s-self-made-persona-exposed-in-father-s-financials-1335417923709?fbclid=IwAR2W4N5MxL0D4KOdiOEFLLSNjiRJ6YHRdumoCK-uq2y66u82MIPvpd6D5II.

July 17

No surprise it’s come to this.

“Biden’s bid touts faith, courts even religious conservatives,” by Elana Schor and Jack Jenkns, AP, https://apnews.com/ca03ff8709d04fc664cb8b9fd783316b?fbclid=IwAR3sd-h4ia_2Fq3oWBcUpDWlvny-37BTqxwqF1Pd25XExWraf3COM94hv7g.

July 17

A sad reality

“The GOP’s ‘Southern Strategy’ Shows How White Supremacy Fuels Class Exploitation,” by Peter Montague, TRUTHOUT, https://truthout.org/articles/the-gop-southern-strategy-shows-how-white-supremacy-fuels-class-exploitation/?utm_campaign=Truthout%20Share%20Buttons&fbclid=IwAR3IEipX02czCCePSKuVNHxQTWu6kFb0vpe-EVxmwr6_lNP8lYVy_KUnIy0.

July 17

This guy Michael Every of RABO Bank author of this piece knows his stuff.

“it’s Easier To Pretend Our Economic System Works And Just Blow Endless Asset Bubbles,” By Michael Every, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/rabobank-its-easier-pretend-our-economic-system-works-and-just-blow-endless-asset-bubbles?fbclid=IwAR1GM5q2jH5oriFM4pQxbQBeLDVcWWXQc9EknK_5v8df-TmfAdEgMOVamNc.

July 16

Another political hack appointment doing his right wing duty to temporarily keep his job under Trump. The post office is one of the best things the US has and the repugs are determined to get rid of it. Shame

“Mail delays likely as new postal boss pushes cost-cutting,” by Matthew Daly, AP, https://apnews.com/59c25efd4d325c4895f8ba85517f9bfd?fbclid=IwAR2MZ9uETEx195_PXRSKfTz4hNtRnps5za4N0b-Bq1qDzF9WkzakSmRi5RU.

July 16

Absolutely, completely, fully insane. There is no such thing as a payroll tax. The so called payroll taxes are FICA, Financial Insurance Contribution Act, payments into the Social Security System that assures retirement money for US citizens. Calling the FICA payments a payroll tax is a gross misnomer and a consummate con game on the part of people like Trump, who want to further destroy the lives of middle and lower income USian citizens. if these FICA payments are cut most likely it will destroy the Social Security System of the US, just what the elite rich like Trump want. Tying and lying about Social Security with coronavirus stimulus money is criminal.

“Trump: No New Coronavirus Stimulus Without Payroll Tax Cut,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-no-more-coronavirus-stimulus-without-payroll-tax-cut?fbclid=IwAR0ic6VPfIbrsfmI-iNw4IEdEFZkl56zPa7ftdys5Jr1SRJK3YUtnYZsGMw.

July 16

It’s much easier for the US to bully nations in South America than it is to bully China. Apparently the US state department, pentagon, presidency, etc. think they are powerful enough to bully any and all nation(s) around Spaceship Earth any time they feel like it, however much in debt the US govmint is in, thanks to tax cuts for the rich and more and more military spending. For sure it’s not the fault of workers paying their social security retirement insurance premiums.

“US war on humanity v. Venuzuelan social democracy,” by Stephen Lendman, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30264.

July 16

Pompeo and the USian state department continue bully policies and tactics in Asia. What a way for a nation to deal with sovereign nations around Spaceship Earth.

“Trump regime ups the stakes v. China,” by Stephen Lendman, INTREPID REPORT, http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/30272.

July 16

If true it’s a high stakes chicken Game. At issue is whether the US can out-bully the bully in this case, China

“The Haque’s 2016 Verdict Exposed Communist China’s Predatory War On World Order,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/hagues-2016-verdict-exposed-communist-chinas-predatory-war-world-order?fbclid=IwAR0h_oeWXWflWV6LhnLb4tj9Ny1YZWa6b_frUAUcPWusoe00Nkp5ghw5-wQ.

July 16

What right does the US have to sabotage the completion of this pipeline?

“‘Get Out Now’: Pompeo Prepares New Sanctions Over Nearly Complete Russia-Germany NS2 Pipeline,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/get-out-now-pompeo-prepares-new-sanctions-over-nearly-complete-russia-germany-ns2?fbclid=IwAR0jMN0C-k8xvnpNAnO7BZZJdmHihueSlHF0Hc425szBvMrhIRBa5Gf4eOg.

July 16

An especially gloomy Earthian assessment

“This is a Financial Extinction Event,” by Charles Hugh Smith, OF TWO MINDS.COM, https://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/2020/07/this-is-financial-extinction-event.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20google%2FRzFQ%20(oftwominds)&fbclid=IwAR1UjEf0cL2qhlaze0aIBNJLQTDVkXtLlDtX04KgTjMeWdyWiSTdMKiBVxk.

July 16

A little over two weeks to go

“Unemployed Americans Spent More With $600 Weekly Boost Than Before Pandemic; That’s About to go Away,” by Tyler Durden, ZEROHEDGE, https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/unemployed-americans-spent-more-600-weekly-boost-pandemic-thats-about-go-away?fbclid=IwAR2sEorEQ32zjHHXEPX3PwowZqbqaJGAZIMqfu1XrM_NTVBIoq552r5FGpM.

July 15

Not for the faint of heart. I still say it’s worse than money printing. All they are doing is punching digits into computers and calling the resulting numbers money.

“Humpty Dumpty System is Irreparable,” by Egon von Greyerz, GOLD, https://goldswitzerland.com/humpty-dumpty-system-is-irreparable/?fbclid=IwAR279WAl599ZWrPja9WZknfGy9TMK4MrrUky3xNJC5xc4Qv6NqlDkHspV4c.

July 15

“The Group to Save Spaceship Earth–Internet Episode Five,” by Richard John Stapleton, EFFECTIVE LEARNING REPORT, https://blog.effectivelearning.net/the-group-to-save-spaceship-earth-internet-episode-five/?fbclid=IwAR0rSQoLXzyEf4z9-0uOh2RlvliH0xLDYuvU_iKazKpkAMaCeNSYsMwvNVU.

July 13

Blind spots? Yes, but also selective memory, denial, lying, and other things. As Upton Sinclair pointed out it’s hard to get people to believe the truth when their livelihood depends on not believing it.

“Imperial Blind Spots and a Question for Obama,” by Paul Street, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/10/imperial-blind-spots-and-a-question-for-obama/?fbclid=IwAR3v__ZLUb8Ny4nMzHAw6s_TQR2pa8yM19xaX5MlHBhUI0JlHmw6-kOz8B0.

July 12

Will be no surprise to me

“Donald Trump is No Billionaire–He’s Living on Credit, and Financial Disclosure will Prove it, Says Rick Wilson,” by Steph Bazzle, HILL REPORTER.COM, https://hillreporter.com/donald-trump-is-no-billionaire-living-on-credit-and-financial-disclosure-will-prove-it-says-rick-wilson-73037?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook.

July 12

How generous of him not to take any salary.

“Trump’s 29^th Trip to Mar-a-Lago Brings golf Tab to 334 Years of Presidential Salary,” by S.V. Date, HUFFPOST, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-golf-mar-a-lago-taxpayers_n_5e4712b9c5b64d860fcab86c?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003&fbclid=IwAR0jMN0C-k8xvnpNAnO7BZZJdmHihueSlHF0Hc425szBvMrhIRBa5Gf4eOg.

July 11

“Why Dem Voters Chose Joe Biden,” by Richard John Stapleton, EFFECTIVE LEARNING REPORT, https://blog.effectivelearning.net/why-dem-voters-chose-joe-biden/?fbclid=IwAR1hQSPqvFHsnbyhxk-Xq9kn2edCD9Goy_HRJ34qJKQh-jhsSKwy9ID2hJA.

July 11

Been readin’ about this sort of thing

“GOP Lawmakers Said They Were Forced To go Along With Trump’s Ways Or Face Retirement,” by Andrea Thompson, POLITICAL TRIBUNE, https://politicaltribune.org/gop-lawmakers-said-they-were-forced-to-go-along-with-trumps-ways-or-face-retirement/?fbclid=IwAR2XYttk4anuHHq9YmkMi9Bmbc1zUlEzN-qQLCs-phTayW7NoZkNg_2shMk.

July 10

“Here’s The Deal: How the Usian Deep State Won Again,” by Richard John Stapleton, EFFECTIVE LEARNING REPORT, https://blog.effectivelearning.net/heres-the-deal-how-the-usian-deep-state-won-again/?fbclid=IwAR1RlHooAPmYXMgszgmw8j1wV5cuK_Xme7q44uJg__C_yPpiCwy4i8hqG0g.

July 9

“The Long Goodbye to Organized Religion,” by Howard Lisnoff, COUNTERPUNCH, https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/09/the-long-goodbye-to-organized-religion/?fbclid=IwAR2sNK2XhT1nCBxj5YEuUrB3IWwZmbyv4fx-SuNfOvk58B6gsxefIMdRI9M.