Economics
BUT WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER AIRCRAFT CARRIER?
Average American to US Congressman: “Congressman, my city’s water is supplied through aging lead pipes. Children are showing high levels of lead in their bodies that damages brain development and their overall health. I’m terrified for my own children. We need congress to provide the money to replace these dangerous pipes.”
US Congressman to Average American: “Yes, yes, I know – these pipes are a real problem and believe me, I feel your pain. But you know, times are tough and we just don’t have the money right now. Maybe you can buy bottled water for the ...
Knock it Off With the Greenwashing
I must commend the many people who are stepping up to the plate in Marathon County with concerns about their drinking water. Recently Green Light Metals has again tried to put themselves in the forefront saying they are here for the green economy. Marathon County residents are too smart to be “green-washed.”
The Inflation Reduction Act itself is not a cure-all for bad mining practices of the past. I only hope the IRA monies will go for education and technology. Let’s try to learn better and less invasive techniques for mining, not hand out subsidies to mining ...
A Race to the Top
We all know the importance of green energy. We cannot continue to rely on fossil fuels, and it only makes sense to use the sun and the wind. Have we looked at the transition? How will it work if big money controls fossil fuels? The United States is one of the top three oil countries. While natural gas costs surge in our country, we know we could get more money exporting it. What will we do to obtain minerals we need to build a green economy?
We talk about supply chain issues and National Defense being in the forefront for our problems. I often contemplate the race to ...
LTE to Superior City Council
Editor's note:
Grandmothers for Peace and Veterans for Peace in Duluth-Superior are working to get the Superior City Council to pass a resolution supporting the U.S. signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The following letter of support for this effort was received from Dr. Ira Helfand, an internationally recognized expert and advocate for abolishing nuclear weapons.
Dr Helfand's letter is an excellent, concise explanation of why citizens everywhere should be asking their local elected officials support this important treaty by passing local ...
Drilling in the Chequamegon Forest
Drilling plans underway for gold deposits near Wausau and in Chequamegon National Forest
(Wausau, WI) If Toronto-Ontario, Canada based GreenLight Metals has its way, the winter of 2022-2023 will be a busy time for metallic sulfide mine development in Wisconsin. GreenLight has submitted plans to start exploration drilling at many of Wisconsin’s most loved natural features – The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, The Ice Age National Scenic Trail, and The Dells of the Eau Claire State Natural Area, are all being targeted.
Project documents here: https://dnr.wi...
Comparing the U.S. Senate Candidates on Retirement Issues
Wisconsin and the nation is facing a retirement security crisis. Many people will have inadequate income for a secure retirement. Over 400,000 seniors in Wisconsin will be living in poverty by 2030. As a result, Wisconsin will need to spend an additional $3.5 billion on public assistance programs.
Why is this happening? There are many reasons. Low pay jobs don't allow saving for retirement. One million people have no retirement program at work. Individual savings plans, like 401Ks and IRAs, don't work well for many people. They have high management fees, ...
Bailout or Investment? Student Loan Debt
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-free-college
It’s not a student’s fault that the government shifted student loans over to private lenders who started increasing the interest rates on the loans. It’s also beyond a student’s power to determine what college costs. In 1980, the price to attend a four-year college full-time was $10,231 annually—including tuition, fees, room and board, and adjusted for inflation—according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By 2019-20, the total price increased to $28,775. ...
Social Security
Established in 1935 under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), social security has kept millions of retired and disabled Americans out of abject poverty. But we hear a repeating refrain from politicians – currently Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson – that the program is “going broke” and needs “reform.” History says otherwise.
Luther Gulick was an aid to FDR and an expert in public administration working for the Treasury Department. The following conversation from the Social Security historical archives took place between Gulick and FDR in 1941:
“In ...
Ron Johnson’s Stance on Social Security is Wrong
I worked for 45 years to earn a living for myself and my family. For decades, I paid into Social
Security, setting money aside so that when I retired, I could keep a roof over my head and food
on the table. Like so many people across our state, I knew that Social Security and Medicare
would support me in the next phase of my life.
This past weekend marked the 87th anniversary of Social Security. Over the last 87 years, this
program and Medicare have become overwhelmingly popular programs that millions of working
people rely on. Yet, while this anniversary should ...
Look Up and Act Collectively
“...humanity needs stories that highlight the many absurdities that arise from collectively knowing what’s coming while collectively failing to act...We also need stories that show humanity responding rationally to the crisis...” Peter Kalmus, climate scientist and author
Mr. Kalmus was writing in the Guardian magazine about the movie “Don't Look Up.” He says the movie (about a comet strike) is really a story about climate change and our ignoring the warnings and danger to humanity. The same could be said for many critical problems we face. ...