All Power to the People (Right On!)

The first three words in the constitution are “We the People”.   So those who claim that Lennon’s song (popular March 1971) of “Power to the People” is somehow a subversive or communist expression are just willfully ignorant.  We don’t have protest marches any more, because they won’t do any good.   Back in the day - - it was the progressive left that read the book Rules for Radicals.  These were simple, no nonsense strategies written by Sol Allinsky of garnering success in your actions.  This is why I switched my sentaments from Barock to Hillary in 2008 because Hillary understood that it’s not what you promise the people, but what you are actually able to delivery through government processes, that counts.  So certain rules are non violence and don’t break the law committing violent offences.  Only ask for what is physically possible for the government to deliver.  Work incrementally.  First gain one high percentage goal, and then the following goals will now with public opinion, be easier to obtain.  Make the enemy live up to his OWN speech and own stated rules of conduct.  Work within your “comfort zone”.  And whenever possible, work OUTSIDE the “comfort zone” of your adversaries.  Don’t back down.  Now when it came to “Sunday, bloody Sunday” there was a violent push back by the government, but our side eventually prevailed.  One thing “the rest of us” had going for us in back then was Inflation.  You note that Inflation is one of the things conspicuously missing from the past thirty years of economic history.  This is because the Rich hate inflation, because it causes their capital to erode.  Back in the day- - when inflation was twelve percent or higher, Credit Card Interest ranged from eighteen to twenty four percent.  Now that inflation (at least by government tally) is one and a half percent- - credit card interest is- - eighteen to twenty-four percent.  But the unkindest cut of all is back in the day- - that interest you paid on credit card debt was DEDUCTABLE on your federal income tax.  By and large- - nobody’s federal income tax rates have gone up since the original days of the Bush tax cuts.  We all were paying a whole lot more in taxes twenty years ago.  Only the one percent is impacted now, with those who earn significantly MORE than four hundred thousand dollars per year.  Yet they speak with such a loud megaphone given their millions- - their voice drowns out the rest of us, and they speak as though they were “We the people” when they aren’t.  Hopefully you are beginning to see how this all ties in together with Citizen’s United and all.  More people vote for democrats, and yet republicans boast of a “landslide victory” with the lowest voter turn-out since the darkest days of World War II.   We can’t afford another “Edmond Petis Bridge” today.  We have neither the inclination nor the odds of success that they did back on March 7^th 1965.   Back in those days they could sing Bob Dylan songs as anthems.  We don’t have that today.  Most of the protest songs anybody even KNOWS the words to today go back to the thirties and forties.  It’s not a rosey picture I’m painting.  Some say, and I’m beginning to suspect their half serious, that the Blue States are the ones who should secede from the Union and form a Republic where our values are extolled, and real history is taught in our schools.  Perhaps that’s a pipe dream.  We need to “think outside the box” but first we have to know what the “box” is, and how said Box is holding us back.  But that’s a lecture for another day.  Hopefully I’ll be up to that soon.

The Rude Pundit, as in Rudepundit at blogspot.com - - wants to tell us about this incredibly clanky and noisy machine that belches out smoke and gas and a horrible stench.  This machine is the anti Hillary machine that the right wing first brought out in the nineties.  With it they failed to impeach the President, but hopefully they left a bad enough taste in everyone's mouth that they would have no taste for a Hillary Clinton run at the Presidency.  This is how I felt initially in 2008, even though I eventually changed my mind.  Of course he almost argues that this "fake scandal" stuff was almost the initial volly and failing that, they decided to form FOX news instead.  FOX news back then haven't devolved into the state of moral depravity they are today.  Since Rude Pundit writes for Google, I thought it best not to quote from him directly, but I did past the thing into my own Word document.   I recommend you all read what he has to say.

OK justice Ginsburg gave a simple and highly clarifying example about this whole State verses Federal healthcare exchange thing.   Justice Ginsburg tells Amanda to write a memo and for Elizabeth to edit that memo and check it over for spelling, punctuation and content.  However if Amanda feels she’s unable to comply with the Justice’s request, then Will is to write the memo.  The question now is - - - is Elizabeth still responsible for editing the memo.  One wise acre responded to this example by saying “But who shall Will say wrote the memo he is handing to Elizabeth?  Who wrote the memo is not material in this example, any more than whose name is on the government subsidy check- - who is the check signed by- - is relevant.  The important fact that after “such memo” is written- - Elizabeth is responsible to edit the thing.  In other words, an inherent part of Amanda’s instruction to Will when she passes off the assignment is “After you are done with this memo, give it to Elizabeth for checking over.”  Capish?

Republicans have been saying that the “average growth of new jobs” should be higher than they were- three years ago.  Now pushing three hundred thousand new jobs per month is becoming commonplace.  Keep in mind this was during one of the worst weather months we’ve ever had.  All things being equal- - spring will see accelerated economic growth from these levels as construction kicks in.  All segments of the economy from manufacturing to service industries- - to professional and tech people- - experience job growth.  5.5% is still by no means “full employment”.  Traditionally that level is reached at four percent.  Also only 62% of those in the “labor force” are employed.  There are six million “involuntarily” part time people, who would like to be full time, and that figure has remained steady.  There are 2.7 million people who are “on the cusp” meaning they look for employment SOME of the time- - who are Not counted in the unemployment figures.  Two thirds of the American people according to a Pew poll,- - believe that the government economic growth policies favor the rich.  This figure is still a majority at 55% when only republicans are measures, so the belief crosses party lines.  The Dow Jones Industrials went down 275 points today because it’s feared that the Federal Reserve will reduce the supply of what amounts to “free money” for the very rich.  Of course what the Fed does won’t affect anybody else because we still are stuck with our 18% credit card debt.

One Norman Goldman caller says we need to get sixteen year olds interested in Civics.  If you are a Junior now, next year you’ll have Government civics, and by the time you are done with that year of education you can get all of your friends involved so that when you are old enough to vote at eighteen you can vote for Clinton or whoever in November of 2016.  But these Republican state governors are going to fight you tooth and nail.  So all of the school teachers out there listening to Norm’s show, need to heed this guy’s message and get those students motivated.  I’d like to see a whole new wave of eighteen year olds voting democratic.

It seems that Wisconsin is the next state to adopt so called “Right to Work” laws.  It’s the 25^th state to have such laws now.  Unions stand tough.  If an employer brought out a deal that featured random drug testing,  merit pay, and an Open Shop option, the Union representative would reject all three out of hand.  The theory is if you “hang tough” you eventually end up with a better deal.  This was President Obama’s mistake with various bills.  He gave away the farm on the opening negotiation volley.  I will say that if we do get unemployment before five percent, this market force along will push businesses to offering more hourly pay to keep their workers. You see what business has to gain now by “Right to Work” laws.  Scott Walker led the charge on this issue.  Right to work states are not a good thing for workers, and anybody who believes they are a “better deal” for the workers are just plain ignorant, or they have been brainwashed by Fox news.  Of course Union Shops have fewer work accidents and pay significantly more than “Open Shops” which are Union optional.  “Union optional” is as unacceptable as “Clothing optional” beaches, if you know what I mean.  Today’s young people have a more challenging task facing them when they come of age because vacation time is slashed from what we had when we were young, and “fringe benefits” are nonexistent.