I left this comment on “The Blood on the Tax Cuts”, Timothy Egan, New York Times, 2017-06-30. As of this posting, it had not been accepted.
They don't care about this plan because they get free, unlimited care at Walter Reed Hospital. And the President gets his free, annual check-up by an Admiral or a General.
Friday, June 30, 2017
Quote of the Day: Ideas vs. Ideologies
“What unifies [a large social movement] is ideas, not ideologies. There is a difference between the two; ideas question and liberate, while ideologies justify and dictate.” - Blessed Unrest, How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming: Paul Hawken, ©2007
Unfortunately, we seem to have politicians who have ideologies rather than ideas. A great deliberative body cannot have ideologies. How can one deliberate when one has fixed ideas and doesn’t want to be confused with the facts.
Wasn’t it Pete Seeger who sang about the best politicians money can buy and that we elect them again and again. Not quite: “What did you learn in school today" has “elect them again and again” but not “money can buy”. See http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Pete_Seeger:What_Did_You_Learn_In_School_Today%3F. It was Morey Amsterdam who said, "Our Congress is the finest body of men money can buy.” See http://likesuccess.com/topics/3033/finest.
http://www.blessedunrest.com/ hasn’t been updated since 2008. However, see http://www.paulhawken.com for current updates about his activities. The homepage features his latest book: Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. Maybe I’ll read it when I finish Blessed Unrest.
Unfortunately, we seem to have politicians who have ideologies rather than ideas. A great deliberative body cannot have ideologies. How can one deliberate when one has fixed ideas and doesn’t want to be confused with the facts.
Wasn’t it Pete Seeger who sang about the best politicians money can buy and that we elect them again and again. Not quite: “What did you learn in school today" has “elect them again and again” but not “money can buy”. See http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Pete_Seeger:What_Did_You_Learn_In_School_Today%3F. It was Morey Amsterdam who said, "Our Congress is the finest body of men money can buy.” See http://likesuccess.com/topics/3033/finest.
http://www.blessedunrest.com/ hasn’t been updated since 2008. However, see http://www.paulhawken.com for current updates about his activities. The homepage features his latest book: Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. Maybe I’ll read it when I finish Blessed Unrest.
Abraham Lincoln would have been a loser
I've never understood why people who don't give a dime or time to a political party get to choose the party candidates. Good thing we didn't have television or party primaries when Abe Lincoln was nominated by his party to run for president.
See https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/opinion/sunday/the-problem-with-participatory-democracy-is-the-participants.html.
See https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/opinion/sunday/the-problem-with-participatory-democracy-is-the-participants.html.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Quote of the day: Chess vs. Tic-Tac-Toe
"The Chinese are playing chess, while Trump is still trying to master the rules of tic-tac-toe."
Comment from MGB to https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/28/opinion/trump-china-asia-pacific-trade-tpp.html
Other comments include Trump claiming to be a master negotiator even as he loses on many deals.
At least P.T. Barnum gave his “suckers” something for their money. All we get from Trump are “yuge” promises, like Trump Care being far better than Obama Care.
Comment from MGB to https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/28/opinion/trump-china-asia-pacific-trade-tpp.html
Other comments include Trump claiming to be a master negotiator even as he loses on many deals.
At least P.T. Barnum gave his “suckers” something for their money. All we get from Trump are “yuge” promises, like Trump Care being far better than Obama Care.
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Getting sick is only for the rich or the well-insured
See my post "Modern Medicine and Let Them Eat Cake Politicians" about the cost for the medical personnel for my open-heart surgery. It was $20,280.50 of which I had an out-ot-pocket expense of $50.50.
This week I received the statement for the hospital stay and some of the rehabilitation. It was $131,088.04. Insurance paid all but $600 of it.
Without this insurance, somebody earning $9/hour would have to work over 14,565 hours or 1,821 days or 364 weeks or seven years. On the other hand, Marissa Mayers earned $900,000 per week as she sold off Yahoo! She could have paid the costs of five open-heart surgeries each week and still have had $150,000/week left over.
I’ll let you judge how a medical bill like this would affect your own finances. My guess is that without insurance, many of you would have to take out an extended mortgage on your house or sell it out-right.
Heart disease only affects one family. Consider what would happen if someone who had a communicable fatal disease didn’t get treated because the family could not afford the necessary care. It has happened down through the centuries and still happens around the world.
This week I received the statement for the hospital stay and some of the rehabilitation. It was $131,088.04. Insurance paid all but $600 of it.
Without this insurance, somebody earning $9/hour would have to work over 14,565 hours or 1,821 days or 364 weeks or seven years. On the other hand, Marissa Mayers earned $900,000 per week as she sold off Yahoo! She could have paid the costs of five open-heart surgeries each week and still have had $150,000/week left over.
I’ll let you judge how a medical bill like this would affect your own finances. My guess is that without insurance, many of you would have to take out an extended mortgage on your house or sell it out-right.
Heart disease only affects one family. Consider what would happen if someone who had a communicable fatal disease didn’t get treated because the family could not afford the necessary care. It has happened down through the centuries and still happens around the world.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
It’s around here someplace
This was a saying in my wife’s family about lost objects, and we still use it.
In April I went to our cabin by myself. I unlocked the cable across the drive and hung the lock from my pants pocket. I forgot all about it until I was ready to leave. I couldn’t find it.
I looked every where I had been. In the the car, in the cabin, in the grass on all the paths I had been on. Nada! So, I used a lock from one of the sheds.
Each time I’ve visited since then I’ve taken another look.
I had resigned my self to buying another lock, but just hadn’t been to my favorite hardware store. When I did, I would have to send a new key to the guy that plows our drive.
I was mowing the grass near the road yesterday and a neighbor stopped to chat. After several minutes my wife came to investigate why she didn’t hear the trimmer. As she came near the cable post she exclaimed “Mel!” I wondered if she had fallen.
No, she had found the missing lock. It was partially buried where I had run over it after it had fallen off my pocket. Several passes over it with the car had buried even more. She was attracted to it because the hasp did not look like any natural object.
The lock was full of soil and sand. We had to soak it and swish it in water several times. By the time we were ready to leave, we could open and close the lock without a problem.
Sometimes he who hesitates finds stuff, around here someplace.
In April I went to our cabin by myself. I unlocked the cable across the drive and hung the lock from my pants pocket. I forgot all about it until I was ready to leave. I couldn’t find it.
I looked every where I had been. In the the car, in the cabin, in the grass on all the paths I had been on. Nada! So, I used a lock from one of the sheds.
Each time I’ve visited since then I’ve taken another look.
I had resigned my self to buying another lock, but just hadn’t been to my favorite hardware store. When I did, I would have to send a new key to the guy that plows our drive.
I was mowing the grass near the road yesterday and a neighbor stopped to chat. After several minutes my wife came to investigate why she didn’t hear the trimmer. As she came near the cable post she exclaimed “Mel!” I wondered if she had fallen.
No, she had found the missing lock. It was partially buried where I had run over it after it had fallen off my pocket. Several passes over it with the car had buried even more. She was attracted to it because the hasp did not look like any natural object.
The lock was full of soil and sand. We had to soak it and swish it in water several times. By the time we were ready to leave, we could open and close the lock without a problem.
Sometimes he who hesitates finds stuff, around here someplace.
Health care for corrupt governments?
Why is it the Republicans want to cut back on health care for their own citizens but feel it is important to spend billions of dollars and thousands of American lives to care for corrupt governments?
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Pro-lifers are anti-safety?!?
How is it that the party that puts such emphasis on being pro-life wants to gut safety regulations because the latter are anti-business?
Safety regulations reduce worker injuries and deaths. How can a pro-life party be so anti-life once a child is born? It figures. It doesn't want to provide health care for the already born. It doesn't want to put any restrictions on gun control; guns are very anti-life. It wants to sell more and more weapons to other countries. It wants to increase the nuclear arsenal; nuclear weapons kill thousands of unborn children.
I think many of these pro-life politicians took the hypocrite oath: first do harm.
Friday, June 23, 2017
Global warming caused by warming oceans?!?
A recent argument I’ve seen is that it is not carbon dioxide that is causing global warming but warmer oceans. See http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/06/23/rick-perry-got-tongue-lashing-from-american-meteorological-society-did-deserve-it.html.
Although the author, Roy Spencer, is a meteorologist, I question his attacking climate scientists for using global warming to get funding. Spencer defends Energy Secretary Rick Perry for stating that the “control knob is the ocean waters and this environment we live in."
Ocean waters are responsible for global warming? How do ocean waters get warmer? Increased under-ocean volcanic activity? Hotter sun? Or maybe it is hotter air, caused by carbon dioxide not letting warmer air dissipate!
Could it be that Rick Perry has ties to oil companies? See http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/perry-oil-industry-energy-department/.
Note also that Spencer is a meteorologist, not a a climatologist.
Although the author, Roy Spencer, is a meteorologist, I question his attacking climate scientists for using global warming to get funding. Spencer defends Energy Secretary Rick Perry for stating that the “control knob is the ocean waters and this environment we live in."
Ocean waters are responsible for global warming? How do ocean waters get warmer? Increased under-ocean volcanic activity? Hotter sun? Or maybe it is hotter air, caused by carbon dioxide not letting warmer air dissipate!
Could it be that Rick Perry has ties to oil companies? See http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/perry-oil-industry-energy-department/.
Note also that Spencer is a meteorologist, not a a climatologist.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Quote of the day: Why vote?
"Hillary Clinton didn’t inspire anyone. Why the hell stand in line if it’s just to vote for more of the same?"
- Unnamed union official
"Can the Democratic Party Find New Voters?", Timothy B. Edsall, New York Times, 2017-06-15
The only reason I voted for Clinton was that she was not Trump. I can name several female politicians I would rather have seen on the ballot. Maybe we'll see one of them on the presidential ballot in 2020.
- Unnamed union official
"Can the Democratic Party Find New Voters?", Timothy B. Edsall, New York Times, 2017-06-15
The only reason I voted for Clinton was that she was not Trump. I can name several female politicians I would rather have seen on the ballot. Maybe we'll see one of them on the presidential ballot in 2020.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Terrorists in haystacks
“Terrorists do not wear a special uniform.. They are like other people, like other youths. They are not easy to recognize. Sometimes, finding a terrorist in the 14 million population of Tehran is like finding a needle — not in a haystack, but in 10 haystacks.”
Mahmoud Alavi, Iranian intelligence minister
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/world/middleeast/iran-kurds-terrorist-attacks.html
The Shia and Sunni differences have are similar to the Protestant/Catholic differences of Northern Ireland. However, some Iranians take a more tolerant view of extremists. For example, Jalal Jalalisadeh, a former member of the Iranian from Kurdistan takes a stance that many around the world could emulate. Salafis are an ultra-conservative group in parts of Iran. “They were peaceful. As long as the Salafi groups are not taking arms, they must be tolerated,” ibid.
"A child killed in a bombing while eating ice cream in Baghdad is the same as child killed in a bombing while attending a pop concert in Manchester.”
Shasta Aziz, Globe and Mail, 2017-06-05
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/countering-extremism-requires-political-honesty-from-theresa-may/article35204868
Do not call terrorists Muslim or Islamic. They are no more "Muslim" than the Ku Klux Klan is “Christian”
Mahmoud Alavi, Iranian intelligence minister
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/world/middleeast/iran-kurds-terrorist-attacks.html
The Shia and Sunni differences have are similar to the Protestant/Catholic differences of Northern Ireland. However, some Iranians take a more tolerant view of extremists. For example, Jalal Jalalisadeh, a former member of the Iranian from Kurdistan takes a stance that many around the world could emulate. Salafis are an ultra-conservative group in parts of Iran. “They were peaceful. As long as the Salafi groups are not taking arms, they must be tolerated,” ibid.
"A child killed in a bombing while eating ice cream in Baghdad is the same as child killed in a bombing while attending a pop concert in Manchester.”
Shasta Aziz, Globe and Mail, 2017-06-05
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/countering-extremism-requires-political-honesty-from-theresa-may/article35204868
Do not call terrorists Muslim or Islamic. They are no more "Muslim" than the Ku Klux Klan is “Christian”
Tuesday, June 06, 2017
Hypocritic oath and an ignored reading
"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
U.S. Constitution, Article VI
Somehow, we have a Congress that gave an oath to the Koch brothers and made sure they passed the religious anti-tax test of Grover Norquist.
Every year the Senate has a public reading of George Washington’s “Farewell Address” and the next day they ignore what he wrote. Maybe many of them stayed away during the reading or slept through it.
"Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all; religion and morality enjoin this conduct, and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant period, a great nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt that in the course of time and things the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be, that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? The experiment, at least, is recommended by every sentiment which ennobles human nature. Alas! is it rendered impossible by its vices?
"In the execution of such a plan nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations and passionate attachments for others should be excluded and that in place of them just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur. Hence frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests. The nation, prompted by ill will and resentment, sometimes impels to war the government, contrary to the best calculations of policy. The government sometimes participates in the national propensity and adopts through passion what reason would reject; at other times, it makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility instigated by pride, ambition and other sinister and pernicious motives. The peace often, sometimes perhaps the liberty, of nations has been the victim."
Who has the U.S. become beholden to either as a friend or as an enemy: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, North Korea, Cuba .
U.S. Constitution, Article VI
Somehow, we have a Congress that gave an oath to the Koch brothers and made sure they passed the religious anti-tax test of Grover Norquist.
Every year the Senate has a public reading of George Washington’s “Farewell Address” and the next day they ignore what he wrote. Maybe many of them stayed away during the reading or slept through it.
"Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all; religion and morality enjoin this conduct, and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant period, a great nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt that in the course of time and things the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be, that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? The experiment, at least, is recommended by every sentiment which ennobles human nature. Alas! is it rendered impossible by its vices?
"In the execution of such a plan nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations and passionate attachments for others should be excluded and that in place of them just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur. Hence frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests. The nation, prompted by ill will and resentment, sometimes impels to war the government, contrary to the best calculations of policy. The government sometimes participates in the national propensity and adopts through passion what reason would reject; at other times, it makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility instigated by pride, ambition and other sinister and pernicious motives. The peace often, sometimes perhaps the liberty, of nations has been the victim."
Who has the U.S. become beholden to either as a friend or as an enemy: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, North Korea, Cuba .
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Modern Medicine and Let Them Eat Cake Politicians
I finally received a bill for my open heart surgery in April. See I’m back!
The bill for the initial surgeon’s visit and the operation is $20,280.50. The five days of hospital stay are not included. My bill for three-plus hours of surgery after Medicare and supplemental insurance: $50.50!!
What I pay monthly for insurance is $178.90 for Medicare and supplemental insurance plus $83.70 for prescription drugs. This is deducted from my Social Security. My wife pays the same amount.
According to https://resources.ehealthinsurance.com/affordable-care-act/much-health-insurance-cost-without-subsidy, individual coverage averaged $321 per month and family plans averaged $833. The annual deductibles were $4,358 and $7,983.
To pay the individual deductible, a person would have save about $84/week or two dollars an hour. For the premiums, a person would have to save about $74/week. Together that is $158/week or $3.95/hour. At a minimum wage of $9/hour, that doesn’t leave much for food and rent. Without insurance, a year’s wage of $9/hour would not even cover the above bill.
And lots of politicians and millionaires think these individuals should be happy with what they get. I don’t wish Marie Antoinette’s fate on these “let them eat cake” thinkers, but someday there will be a widespread realization that the people at the bottom of the economic are being taken advantage of. Let’s hope they find better “champions” than Donald Trump and his ilk.
The bill for the initial surgeon’s visit and the operation is $20,280.50. The five days of hospital stay are not included. My bill for three-plus hours of surgery after Medicare and supplemental insurance: $50.50!!
What I pay monthly for insurance is $178.90 for Medicare and supplemental insurance plus $83.70 for prescription drugs. This is deducted from my Social Security. My wife pays the same amount.
According to https://resources.ehealthinsurance.com/affordable-care-act/much-health-insurance-cost-without-subsidy, individual coverage averaged $321 per month and family plans averaged $833. The annual deductibles were $4,358 and $7,983.
To pay the individual deductible, a person would have save about $84/week or two dollars an hour. For the premiums, a person would have to save about $74/week. Together that is $158/week or $3.95/hour. At a minimum wage of $9/hour, that doesn’t leave much for food and rent. Without insurance, a year’s wage of $9/hour would not even cover the above bill.
And lots of politicians and millionaires think these individuals should be happy with what they get. I don’t wish Marie Antoinette’s fate on these “let them eat cake” thinkers, but someday there will be a widespread realization that the people at the bottom of the economic are being taken advantage of. Let’s hope they find better “champions” than Donald Trump and his ilk.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Muslims Do Speak Out
I was listening to Swedish Radio’s weekly news podcast, “Good Morning World” when I heard a piece on “Arabs got talent” (http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=438&artikel=6700503). It has 100 million viewers, a figure many programs can only dream of.
I thought it strange that I had never heard about it. Searching the New York Times, I found a recent article that mentioned “Arabs Got Talent”, only because a network official involved in an anti-ISIS program is a “Talent” judge.
The NYT article mentions a series “Black Crows”, a dramatization of some of the atrocities committed by ISIS. It will be broadcast during Ramadan. Many families will spend more time watching TV than usual. Ramadan (in the U.S.) begins begins the evening to 26 May and ends the evening of 24 June. During this time Muslims fast during daylight hours.
See "Arab TV Dramatizes Life under Isis", Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 2017-05-16,
The only other reference in the New York Times to "Arabs Got Talent” was about an American, Jennifer Grout, who plays the oud (an Arab lute) and has learned many Arabic songs. At the time she didn’t understand much Arabic, but according to https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2016/09/195954/jennifer-grout-replies-criticize-moroccan-husband/ she now speaks fluent Arabic
A few other sources for Arabic news are
http://www.aljazeera.com/
www.dailystar.com.lb
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/
Interestingly, from Morocco World News I found out about a women-led mosque in California.
Muslims do speak out; are you listening?
I thought it strange that I had never heard about it. Searching the New York Times, I found a recent article that mentioned “Arabs Got Talent”, only because a network official involved in an anti-ISIS program is a “Talent” judge.
The NYT article mentions a series “Black Crows”, a dramatization of some of the atrocities committed by ISIS. It will be broadcast during Ramadan. Many families will spend more time watching TV than usual. Ramadan (in the U.S.) begins begins the evening to 26 May and ends the evening of 24 June. During this time Muslims fast during daylight hours.
See "Arab TV Dramatizes Life under Isis", Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 2017-05-16,
The only other reference in the New York Times to "Arabs Got Talent” was about an American, Jennifer Grout, who plays the oud (an Arab lute) and has learned many Arabic songs. At the time she didn’t understand much Arabic, but according to https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2016/09/195954/jennifer-grout-replies-criticize-moroccan-husband/ she now speaks fluent Arabic
A few other sources for Arabic news are
http://www.aljazeera.com/
www.dailystar.com.lb
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/
Interestingly, from Morocco World News I found out about a women-led mosque in California.
Muslims do speak out; are you listening?
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Deliberate deception from “The Greatest Deliberative Body”
Speak up about the usurpation of legislation by the few. See “It’s Time to Worry about Health Care in the Senate”, David Leonhard, New York Times, 2017-05-23.
My own letter to HealthReform@finance.senate.gov was
My own letter to HealthReform@finance.senate.gov was
Just over two months ago, the Senate "listened" to Washington's "Farewell Address". Have you already forgotten his warning about factions?Be sure to send a copy of your email to your own senators, regardless of their party.
The Senate has been called "the world's greatest deliberative body". It has now become the deliberate mouthpiece of the Koch brothers and their ilk.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Does the Senate really believe Washington's Farewell Address?
I posted the following to “Will the Presidency Survive This President”, Eric Posner and Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 2017-05-20
Dear Reader,
Every year on Washington's Birthday, the Senate has one of its members read George Washington's "Farewell Address". You can find a copy at https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/WashFarewell.pdf.
Your homework assignment is to read George Washington's "Farewell Address" and send both your Senators a quote that you feel is appropriate to current events.
You probably can find many quotes that support what the Senate is doing and that chastise them for not following the advice Washington gave.
Two that stand out for me are his warning about factions and the danger of foreign entanglements, both with friend and foe.
Dear Reader,
Every year on Washington's Birthday, the Senate has one of its members read George Washington's "Farewell Address". You can find a copy at https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/WashFarewell.pdf.
Your homework assignment is to read George Washington's "Farewell Address" and send both your Senators a quote that you feel is appropriate to current events.
You probably can find many quotes that support what the Senate is doing and that chastise them for not following the advice Washington gave.
Two that stand out for me are his warning about factions and the danger of foreign entanglements, both with friend and foe.
Leader of the free world?
Please, let's stop calling the president of the U.S. "the leader of the free world". First, the president of the U.S. is historically elected by a minority of eligible voters in one country. Second, the "free world" includes plenty of dictatorships.
Comment posted to "4-year-Olds Don't Act Like Trump", Alison Gopnik, New York Times, 2017-05-20
Comment posted to "4-year-Olds Don't Act Like Trump", Alison Gopnik, New York Times, 2017-05-20
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
When the World Is Led by a Child
Comment to New York Times article by David Brooks (note: Brooks is considered a conservative)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/opinion/trump-classified-data.html?comments#permid=22518785
George Washington warned about the abject support of Trump by the Republicans:
"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.”
Every year on Washington's birthday, a member of the Senate reads Washington's "Farewell Address". And every year the Senate ignores his advice by dividing itself along party lines. We now see almost lockstep support of Trump by Republicans and lockstep opposition to Trump by Democrats.
Maybe someday the the voters will grow up and elect grown-ups to political office.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/opinion/trump-classified-data.html?comments#permid=22518785
George Washington warned about the abject support of Trump by the Republicans:
"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.”
Every year on Washington's birthday, a member of the Senate reads Washington's "Farewell Address". And every year the Senate ignores his advice by dividing itself along party lines. We now see almost lockstep support of Trump by Republicans and lockstep opposition to Trump by Democrats.
Maybe someday the the voters will grow up and elect grown-ups to political office.
Constitutional Amendments: Government Power Versus Personal Rights
Originally published in the
Reader Weekly
November 25, 2004
I don’t know how many constitutional amendments have historically been before Congress, but in the last two decades it almost seems Congress has been flooded with them.
I did a Google Search and a search of the House of Representatives web site for “constitutional amendment”; both yielded thousands and thousands of results. I narrowed my search to the House Judiciary Committee and got a mere 6652 hits. However, I had a hard time finding more descriptive material in them. I went back to the Google search and looked into several of the first 80 items. From various sources I succeeded in finding ten currently proposed amendments.
Marriage Protection Amendment (H. J. 106)
Constitutional Rights for Victims (S.J. Res. 1, H. R. Res. 10)
Desecration of Flag (S.J. Res. 4, H.J. Res. 4)
Balanced Budget (H.J. Res. 22)
Religious Freedom (H.J. Res. 46)
Abortion Ban
Continuity of Government (H.J.Res. 83)
Naturalized Citizens for President (H.J. Res. 104)
Natural Born Citizen Act (S.2128)
Direct Election of the President (H.J. Res. 109)
Some readers will think all these amendments should be adopted and some will think some of them are frivolous. I put the relevant House or Senate bills after most of these. You can find their text, current status, and related information by searching from The Library of Congress' Thomas by bill number or keywords.
I didn’t put a bill number by Abortion Ban because I could not find a bill that seemed to directly relate to it. All the bills I scanned seemed either to limit it or limit its prohibition.
I think we should ask four questions about any proposed amendment to the Constitution.
1. Does it define the structure and purpose of government?
2. Does it preserve the checks and balances?
3. Does it extend the power of government or does it extend the rights of persons?
4. Will it really work?
If you read the original Constitution, you will find that it mostly defines how the government should work and defines broadly what functions each of the three branches has. It doesn’t get into details of what people may or may not do; those are left to particular laws, their administration, and their judicial review.
We who were fortunate enough to take civics and American history learned repeatedly that the framers of the Constitution did not want one branch of the government to dominate the other. They were especially wary of a king-like executive. They were divided on how strong the federal government should be.
The first ten amendments (The Bill of Rights) were to correct a flaw many critics felt the original Constitution lacked – protection of the people from an all-powerful government. Unfortunately, although Congress thought it had a clear vision of what those rights should be, many people have distorted them to either claim a greater right than Congress intended or claim a right does not cover certain situations.
Will an amendment really work? History gives us mixed lessons on this. The amendment that flopped the most was Prohibition – it really was interpreted by a large number of people as a restriction of their freedom. On the other hand, the Fifteenth Amendment, the right to vote regardless of race or color, took decades to be enforced. Some feel that it is still not uniformly enforced in all States.
Let’s take a quick peek at some of the amendments I listed and see how they satisfy my four questions.
Marriage Protection Amendment
It could be argued that this defines a purpose of government, but that is a stretch. It really is an extension of the power of the federal government at the expense of individuals and the states.
The best comment I found was by Rep. Jim Davis of Florida. “Personally, I believe marriage should be a bond between a man and a woman; however, I voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment because I also believe the United States Constitution should protect rights, not deny them, and states should have the right to decide whether same sex marriages should be recognized within their borders.”
If it is to be considered an extension of people’s rights and a protection of marriage, then maybe the first sentence should read “Marriage in the United States shall consist solely of the union of a man and a woman and they shall be considered equal partners.”
Will it work? It certainly won’t prevent two men or two women living together.
Constitutional Rights for Victims
This amendment enjoys bi-partisan support. It essentially guarantees that victims of violent crimes be informed of proceedings against the accused, be allowed to heard at public proceedings, and be protected from further injury. It does have a loophole about restrictions “dictated … by compelling necessity.”
It definitely extends the rights of some people though others would say it limits the rights of the accused.
As to preserving checks and balances, the judiciary prefers a statutory approach to victims' rights over a constitutional amendment.
Religious Freedom
This is the wolf in sheep’s clothing of amendments. In the guise of protecting freedom it extends the power of government to promote religion. The catch is the use of “people” instead of persons, such as in “The people retain the right to pray…” Does this mean that if the majority determines that a public gathering will have a Christian, Jewish, or Muslim prayer, then the minority must sit quietly by while a prayer that they find offensive is given? Is the “people” a local government that will specify the prayers? Would an evangelical Christian be happy if all local government functions began with a Muslim prayer?
Special Elections/Appointment (Continuity of Government)
Naturalized Citizens for President
Natural Born Citizen Act
Direct Election of the President
These are the only amendments in my list that I think really satisfy all of the questions I posed. My only caveat is, will they work as intended or will they have some serious unintended consequences? The Continuity of Government is opposed by many representatives because it doesn’t guarantee quick elections to replace representatives. The Naturalized Citizen amendment is called the “Schwarzenegger Amendment” but it could apply equally to Jennifer Granholm, the Canadian-born, Democratic governor of Michigan. The Natural Born act is more limiting in that applies to people whose citizen parents happened to be elsewhere at the time of their birth or to people who immigrated as children. Direct Election essentially abolishes the Electoral College.
Let’s hope that these four get more attention than the others and that Congress and the State legislatures deliberate them openly and honestly.
Reader Weekly
November 25, 2004
I don’t know how many constitutional amendments have historically been before Congress, but in the last two decades it almost seems Congress has been flooded with them.
I did a Google Search and a search of the House of Representatives web site for “constitutional amendment”; both yielded thousands and thousands of results. I narrowed my search to the House Judiciary Committee and got a mere 6652 hits. However, I had a hard time finding more descriptive material in them. I went back to the Google search and looked into several of the first 80 items. From various sources I succeeded in finding ten currently proposed amendments.
Marriage Protection Amendment (H. J. 106)
Constitutional Rights for Victims (S.J. Res. 1, H. R. Res. 10)
Desecration of Flag (S.J. Res. 4, H.J. Res. 4)
Balanced Budget (H.J. Res. 22)
Religious Freedom (H.J. Res. 46)
Abortion Ban
Continuity of Government (H.J.Res. 83)
Naturalized Citizens for President (H.J. Res. 104)
Natural Born Citizen Act (S.2128)
Direct Election of the President (H.J. Res. 109)
Some readers will think all these amendments should be adopted and some will think some of them are frivolous. I put the relevant House or Senate bills after most of these. You can find their text, current status, and related information by searching from The Library of Congress' Thomas by bill number or keywords.
I didn’t put a bill number by Abortion Ban because I could not find a bill that seemed to directly relate to it. All the bills I scanned seemed either to limit it or limit its prohibition.
I think we should ask four questions about any proposed amendment to the Constitution.
1. Does it define the structure and purpose of government?
2. Does it preserve the checks and balances?
3. Does it extend the power of government or does it extend the rights of persons?
4. Will it really work?
If you read the original Constitution, you will find that it mostly defines how the government should work and defines broadly what functions each of the three branches has. It doesn’t get into details of what people may or may not do; those are left to particular laws, their administration, and their judicial review.
We who were fortunate enough to take civics and American history learned repeatedly that the framers of the Constitution did not want one branch of the government to dominate the other. They were especially wary of a king-like executive. They were divided on how strong the federal government should be.
The first ten amendments (The Bill of Rights) were to correct a flaw many critics felt the original Constitution lacked – protection of the people from an all-powerful government. Unfortunately, although Congress thought it had a clear vision of what those rights should be, many people have distorted them to either claim a greater right than Congress intended or claim a right does not cover certain situations.
Will an amendment really work? History gives us mixed lessons on this. The amendment that flopped the most was Prohibition – it really was interpreted by a large number of people as a restriction of their freedom. On the other hand, the Fifteenth Amendment, the right to vote regardless of race or color, took decades to be enforced. Some feel that it is still not uniformly enforced in all States.
Let’s take a quick peek at some of the amendments I listed and see how they satisfy my four questions.
Marriage Protection Amendment
It could be argued that this defines a purpose of government, but that is a stretch. It really is an extension of the power of the federal government at the expense of individuals and the states.
The best comment I found was by Rep. Jim Davis of Florida. “Personally, I believe marriage should be a bond between a man and a woman; however, I voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment because I also believe the United States Constitution should protect rights, not deny them, and states should have the right to decide whether same sex marriages should be recognized within their borders.”
If it is to be considered an extension of people’s rights and a protection of marriage, then maybe the first sentence should read “Marriage in the United States shall consist solely of the union of a man and a woman and they shall be considered equal partners.”
Will it work? It certainly won’t prevent two men or two women living together.
Constitutional Rights for Victims
This amendment enjoys bi-partisan support. It essentially guarantees that victims of violent crimes be informed of proceedings against the accused, be allowed to heard at public proceedings, and be protected from further injury. It does have a loophole about restrictions “dictated … by compelling necessity.”
It definitely extends the rights of some people though others would say it limits the rights of the accused.
As to preserving checks and balances, the judiciary prefers a statutory approach to victims' rights over a constitutional amendment.
Religious Freedom
This is the wolf in sheep’s clothing of amendments. In the guise of protecting freedom it extends the power of government to promote religion. The catch is the use of “people” instead of persons, such as in “The people retain the right to pray…” Does this mean that if the majority determines that a public gathering will have a Christian, Jewish, or Muslim prayer, then the minority must sit quietly by while a prayer that they find offensive is given? Is the “people” a local government that will specify the prayers? Would an evangelical Christian be happy if all local government functions began with a Muslim prayer?
Special Elections/Appointment (Continuity of Government)
Naturalized Citizens for President
Natural Born Citizen Act
Direct Election of the President
These are the only amendments in my list that I think really satisfy all of the questions I posed. My only caveat is, will they work as intended or will they have some serious unintended consequences? The Continuity of Government is opposed by many representatives because it doesn’t guarantee quick elections to replace representatives. The Naturalized Citizen amendment is called the “Schwarzenegger Amendment” but it could apply equally to Jennifer Granholm, the Canadian-born, Democratic governor of Michigan. The Natural Born act is more limiting in that applies to people whose citizen parents happened to be elsewhere at the time of their birth or to people who immigrated as children. Direct Election essentially abolishes the Electoral College.
Let’s hope that these four get more attention than the others and that Congress and the State legislatures deliberate them openly and honestly.
Saturday, May 06, 2017
Regulations are good: for our competition
So-called free-marketers are constantly complaining about regulations. Donald Trump claimed he would get rid of two regulations for every new regulation,. Gosh, do you think he would drop the regulation of concealed-carry in the White House? But that is a whole ‘nother subject.
What triggered this little outburst of mine was an article in the Reader Weekly from Wisconsin Public Radio ("Trade Dispute May Have Mixed Results for Wisconsin”). It contained a story “Wisconsin Lawmakers Consider Sales of Home-Baked Goods Once Again”. You can find the original story at https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-lawmakers-consider-sales-home-baked-goods-once-again.
“In previous sessions, food industry advocates have brought up concerns about food safety…”
It would be interesting to know who these “food industry advocates” are and if they have ever complained about government regulations for the safety of their own products.
To be fair, many recall articles do state how a company is working with the government to improve. After all, good companies are always concerned about their reputation for quality.
What triggered this little outburst of mine was an article in the Reader Weekly from Wisconsin Public Radio ("Trade Dispute May Have Mixed Results for Wisconsin”). It contained a story “Wisconsin Lawmakers Consider Sales of Home-Baked Goods Once Again”. You can find the original story at https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-lawmakers-consider-sales-home-baked-goods-once-again.
“In previous sessions, food industry advocates have brought up concerns about food safety…”
It would be interesting to know who these “food industry advocates” are and if they have ever complained about government regulations for the safety of their own products.
To be fair, many recall articles do state how a company is working with the government to improve. After all, good companies are always concerned about their reputation for quality.
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