Economic "Violence" Sets the Stage for Physical Violence

New Series:  The Violent Nation


The article referenced here invites careful consideration.  I like it quite a lot.  At the same time -- as the article suggests -- there is more to the story of mass killings than social conditions.  But this article shows important ties between public policies, especially beginning in the Reagan years and rising anger in the workplace and beyond.

Recommended. 


Economic "Violence" Begets Physical Violence

Water Systems Major Part of Nation's Infrastructure

The web site ScienceDaily reported early last year that water rates in the U. S. had increased 41% just since 2010.  At this rate the percentage of households unable to afford water would triple to some 36%.   

As politicians promise action on infrastructure, it is good to look at specifics.  Most infrastructure projects in the U.S. are financed at the local and state level.  But, clearly, the federal government has a role to play.  By most estimates, the U. S. is behind in necessary repairs to water systems, I believe.  This threatens to endanger access to this essential resource.

Read more at the link here:


Water Costs Rising Quickly

An Anti-fascist Group. In Nazi Germany

I knew Hitler had his detractors before he assumed power.  And I was aware of Dietrich Bonhoffer and the confessing church.  But college students in 1942?  That was long after the lead-up to Hitler's ascension to the Chancellorship.

Yet in 1942 a group of students in Munich began distributing white-hot pamphlets denouncing in no uncertain terms the inhumanity of the Jewish pogroms and other atrocities of the Hitler regime.  This group was called The White Rose and made themselves useful by writing such things as "Every honest German today is ashamed of his government."   And -- "Here we see the most frightful crime against human dignity, a crime that is unparalleled in the whole of history.  For Jews, too, are human beings."

These quotes are from a New York Times editorial from Thursday, February 22, 2018.  Later in the article the writer claims we are far from fascism in this country.  I beg to differ, for what is the difference between targeting Jews and targeting youthful immigrants who were brought here by parents as children?

The balance of the op-ed, however, is most useful indeed. 


The Sweet Smell of the White Rose

Did Russia Determine the Outcome of Election 2016?

The indictment does not say that Russia changed the outcome of the election, a fact that Mr. Rosenstein noted repeatedly. American intelligence officials have said they have no way of calculating the effect of the Russian influence.

-- The New York Times

Nyet.  No.  Russia did not determine the outcome of the 2016 Election.  Republican operatives took care of that dastardly deed.  This according to the esteemed reporter Greg Palast as related on this blog numerous times.  Republicans used nine different methods of voter suppression including voter I.D. laws, voter caging, and various other dirty tricks.  This is all being documented on gregpalast.com  .   This news has also been shared on the blog you are now reading.  I have been proud to be one of the first and the few to report on this issue.  So -- while what Russia did was execrable, their efforts did not decide the outcome.   

gregpalast.com

Voice Heard in the Patriotic Countryside: I Ain't Doin' No Parade

Americans are remembering what we fought against in World War II.  


GIF credit:  Talking Points Memo

It's Worse Than Most People Think

Rush Post --

A Kleptocrat at Work

Earlier this evening I purchased a brand-new book entitled It's Even Worse Than You Think.  Perhaps you have heard of it. The book shines a huge flood-light on the machinations of Our Military Leader (OML) now sitting in the Oval Office in Washington.  The author is long-time investigator of OML, David Cay Johnston.  Johnston teaches at Syracuse University's College of Law and has followed the  p-Resident (if that he can be called) for many years.

I have also begun reading Fire and Fury, another recent and famous book.  So far, of the two, It's Even Worse Than You Think is the more important of the two.

There will be more to say later.  

Rule of Law Under Serious Attack from White House

U R G E N T

 

 Quick Link --

When reason leaves, and hysteria walks in through the door:

 

Rule of Law Under Attack at White House 

Dear Wealthy American:

I Don't Care


Dear Super-wealthy American:


I don't care.  Of course, I care about you as a person.  But about your wealth, I don't give a rip.  A million is fine.   Maybe two million.  Heck, even five million may be okay.  But, tens of billions of dollars?  Not a chance!

As one friend said, America is about coming from one challenging situation into another challenging situation, but one with a real chance of success through honest work.  And in your case, you have received many, many billions of dollars because of a corrupt and evil system -- one which takes from the many to give to the few.

This is a system which is unsustainable, for history shows that a top-heavy economy cannot forever be supported.  Sooner or later it crashes of its own weight and hubris.

But back to the subject of caring, or the lack thereof.  Some of your friends have expressed a healthy (almost) regret at having "made" so much money.  Perhaps you have felt this, too.  Indeed there is an underlying unease which one can come to by possessing ill-gotten gain.

So it is good to say that I don't care.   I don't care how many billions in wealth you and your cohorts have lost over the last week.  The sooner the world is rid of the evil system which brought you ever so much extra money, the better off we will all be -- including yourself.

May you live a long and happy life -- with much less money.


Sincerely,

The Musical Patriot 

Dow Jones Plunge

The world today is concerned about the steep decline in stock prices.  I am monitoring the situation and plan to have more to say in the near future.  

For now -- this stock market plunge may be a sign the profit system has become unsupportable.  Only time will tell for sure.  

Please return here soon for more.


Photo courtesy Socialist Worker (.org)