The emoluments clause of our Constitution, in addition to covering topics like titles of nobility, says that a President cannot receive any payment from the federal
government or the states beyond legal compensation for services rendered as
chief executive.
Keep that in mind when you look at this documentary from CNN.
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Friday, May 17, 2019
Poverty in a Great Economy
Despite Donald Trump's and Larry Kudlow's claims to the contrary, we do not live in a vibrant economy. At least, 99+ per cent of us don't.
After the strong wage growth of the 1990s, real wages fell. From 2000 to 2007, even though productivity increased by 16 percent, workers smack in the middle of the wage spectrum saw wage growth of only 2.6 percent. Workers from the bottom 20% of the wage scale experienced a wage increase of a mere 1 percent. Worst of all, over the past decade, real wages flat-lined or declined for more than 70% of workers.
How to address this problem? Here's what one economist suggested.
If you really want to get wages to grow broadly for everybody it means confronting power in the workplace. [It means] confronting the fact that we have an economy geared toward creating huge corporate profits and rising stock prices, but not rising wages, and an economy constructed to give some people power and other people less power.
I'm reminded of the Strawbs ...
After the strong wage growth of the 1990s, real wages fell. From 2000 to 2007, even though productivity increased by 16 percent, workers smack in the middle of the wage spectrum saw wage growth of only 2.6 percent. Workers from the bottom 20% of the wage scale experienced a wage increase of a mere 1 percent. Worst of all, over the past decade, real wages flat-lined or declined for more than 70% of workers.
How to address this problem? Here's what one economist suggested.
If you really want to get wages to grow broadly for everybody it means confronting power in the workplace. [It means] confronting the fact that we have an economy geared toward creating huge corporate profits and rising stock prices, but not rising wages, and an economy constructed to give some people power and other people less power.
I'm reminded of the Strawbs ...
Thursday, May 16, 2019
And You Thought Alabama Was Bad ...
Alabama's new, anti-abortion legislation is not the zenith of government intervention in the intimate lives of some citizens. There's new policy in the State Department that in effect if not in fact does away with the 14th Amendment.
Bbirth-right citizenship is being denied to the children of same-sex couples First there were what Trump and other Birthers came to call anchor babies . Now, we're seeing a mirror image of the anchor baby scenario, in which children born abroad, but of U.S. citizens, are also being targeted.
Our State Department now claims:
Even if local law recognizes a surrogacy agreement and finds that U.S. parents are the legal parents of a child conceived and born abroad… if the child does not have a biological connection to a U.S. citizen parent, the child will not be a U.S. citizen at birth.
To make a long, specious, and convoluted argument more straightforward, this means that children born via gestational surrogacy and other forms of assisted reproductive technology are considered to be born out of wedlock, even if their parents are legally married.
Can you say dark, boys and girls?
Bbirth-right citizenship is being denied to the children of same-sex couples First there were what Trump and other Birthers came to call anchor babies . Now, we're seeing a mirror image of the anchor baby scenario, in which children born abroad, but of U.S. citizens, are also being targeted.
Our State Department now claims:
Even if local law recognizes a surrogacy agreement and finds that U.S. parents are the legal parents of a child conceived and born abroad… if the child does not have a biological connection to a U.S. citizen parent, the child will not be a U.S. citizen at birth.
To make a long, specious, and convoluted argument more straightforward, this means that children born via gestational surrogacy and other forms of assisted reproductive technology are considered to be born out of wedlock, even if their parents are legally married.
Can you say dark, boys and girls?
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Illegal and Unconscionable
That's how Tom Perez, current head of the DNC, referred to Alabama's draconian new anti-abortion legislation. I agree.
In the days before Roe v Wade, while I was still in high school, a classmate named Angela died from complications of a back-alley abortion. It not only killed her, it devastated her family and friends. For several months after her death, Angela's mom visited her daughter's grave daily, whatever the weather.
Wake up,opponents to abortion.
In the days before Roe v Wade, while I was still in high school, a classmate named Angela died from complications of a back-alley abortion. It not only killed her, it devastated her family and friends. For several months after her death, Angela's mom visited her daughter's grave daily, whatever the weather.
Wake up,opponents to abortion.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
15104
15104 is not only the theme for this blog, but also the area where I spent my first 30+ years. In either context, it's Democratic, progressive, and working-class.
Today, I received an email from the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. John Fetterman is also the former mayor of 15104 - that is, of Braddock, PA. Here's what John said.
Before becoming your Lieutenant Governor, I was the Mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania for over 10 years — a working-class steel town that’s faced serious economic challenges following the exit of industry from the western part of our state. In Braddock and in disadvantaged towns across our commonwealth, you'll see entire streets with houses and buildings that are overgrown with shrubs and earth, entirely gutted, and near collapse. These abandoned structures have not seen inhabitants in decades.
The reality is that they likely never will. In Pennsylvania, we need to do more than just manage the decline. It’s time for us to invest in our communities,
Be forewarned. If you get into the weeds of Fetterman's message, you may end up being solicited by Act Blue for a contribution - to Fetterman. But absent that, I couldn't agree with his message more strongly.
Today, I received an email from the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. John Fetterman is also the former mayor of 15104 - that is, of Braddock, PA. Here's what John said.
Before becoming your Lieutenant Governor, I was the Mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania for over 10 years — a working-class steel town that’s faced serious economic challenges following the exit of industry from the western part of our state. In Braddock and in disadvantaged towns across our commonwealth, you'll see entire streets with houses and buildings that are overgrown with shrubs and earth, entirely gutted, and near collapse. These abandoned structures have not seen inhabitants in decades.
The reality is that they likely never will. In Pennsylvania, we need to do more than just manage the decline. It’s time for us to invest in our communities,
Be forewarned. If you get into the weeds of Fetterman's message, you may end up being solicited by Act Blue for a contribution - to Fetterman. But absent that, I couldn't agree with his message more strongly.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Why Be Surprised?
Given Donald Trump's proclivity for far-right strongmen, we shouldn't be surprised by his expressed admiration for Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary.
Like Trump in our country, Orban feels the Hungarian Judiciary and press should be closely controlled. And he and Trump share other beliefs. Orban has instituted restrictions on immigrants and refugees seeking to enter his country, including construction of a razor-wire fence at the Magyarország border with Serbia and Croatia..
Earlier today, Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Co-Chair of the Congressional Hungarian Caucus, urged Mr. Trump to cancel his planned meeting with Prime Minister Orbán. Kaptur and other members expressed their concern about Orbán’s crackdown on democracy, increased Russian and Chinese influence, and use of anti-Semitic and xenophobic language.
Three things strike me. First, I doubt any group of any ethnicity could exist as a caucus under Trump's BFF Orban. Second, I share the concerns of Kaptur and her colleagues regarding Orban's behavior. Finally, who does that behvior remind you of?
Like Trump in our country, Orban feels the Hungarian Judiciary and press should be closely controlled. And he and Trump share other beliefs. Orban has instituted restrictions on immigrants and refugees seeking to enter his country, including construction of a razor-wire fence at the Magyarország border with Serbia and Croatia..
Earlier today, Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Co-Chair of the Congressional Hungarian Caucus, urged Mr. Trump to cancel his planned meeting with Prime Minister Orbán. Kaptur and other members expressed their concern about Orbán’s crackdown on democracy, increased Russian and Chinese influence, and use of anti-Semitic and xenophobic language.
Three things strike me. First, I doubt any group of any ethnicity could exist as a caucus under Trump's BFF Orban. Second, I share the concerns of Kaptur and her colleagues regarding Orban's behavior. Finally, who does that behvior remind you of?
Sunday, May 12, 2019
WTF?!
Rhode Island, which one would ordinarily assume takes a relatively enlightened stance on just about everything, has tarnished its rep incredibly.
Recently, a Rhode Island school district prepared to serve a cold meal to students with what's called lunch debt. Even when a local diner owner offered to help pay down some of that debt, he was rebuffed. Amidst the outrage that ensued, the school district backed down.
Here's the kicker. Some state's laws ban the practice of singling out students with unpaid lunch debt. There have also been proposals for a federal law that would end the practice nationwide. Trouble is, it's the Federal government's fault in the first place. The Department of Agriculture establishes the qualifications for school-lunch subsidies, and requires school districts to seek payment for unpaid lunch bills. How that's accomplished is up to the district.
In Rhode Island, kids have been forced to wear stamps or wristbands that identify them as having debt. In Minnesota, students with lunch debt at one high school were going to be kept from their graduation ceremony.
Like I said, WTF?!
Recently, a Rhode Island school district prepared to serve a cold meal to students with what's called lunch debt. Even when a local diner owner offered to help pay down some of that debt, he was rebuffed. Amidst the outrage that ensued, the school district backed down.
Here's the kicker. Some state's laws ban the practice of singling out students with unpaid lunch debt. There have also been proposals for a federal law that would end the practice nationwide. Trouble is, it's the Federal government's fault in the first place. The Department of Agriculture establishes the qualifications for school-lunch subsidies, and requires school districts to seek payment for unpaid lunch bills. How that's accomplished is up to the district.
In Rhode Island, kids have been forced to wear stamps or wristbands that identify them as having debt. In Minnesota, students with lunch debt at one high school were going to be kept from their graduation ceremony.
Like I said, WTF?!
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