Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate Race and Social Security
On Social Security the contrast between Wisconsin's two candidates for the U.S. Senate could not be greater. Russ Feingold (D) and Ron Johnson (R) are polar opposites on what should be done with this highly successful and popular program.
Senator Ron Johnson has said Social Security is a “ponzi scheme.” Johnson, along with many reactionary Republicans, want to make Social Security voluntary and allow younger workers to invest their Social Security contributions in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The article “Attacks on Social Security Continue in Wisconsin” ...
WEALTH AND MONEY PART XV: AN EMPIRE IN DECLINE
There is a life cycle to empire - a historical evolution in the birth, maintenance, and loss of world preeminence. Conceived brutally through conquest, or peacefully as in the transfer of power from Great Britain to America after the first and second world wars, the birth of a new empire is always led by the relocation of major centers of knowledge in science, technology and engineering. This is so because the long term outcome of leadership in these fields is a genuine increase in human wealth — in the ability to sustain ever more humans with an ever rising standard ...
POLITICAL LEADERS USING THE POLITICS OF RESENTMENT
Author Katherine Cramer says, “I call this book The Politics of Resentment because there are other ways to make sense of politics than by relying on ideas about which of one’s fellow citizens are getting more than their fair share and who among them is underserving. I draw attention to a kind of politics in which people do not focus their blame on elite decision makers as they try to comprehend an economic recession. Instead they give their attention to fellow residents who they think are eating their share of the pie. These interpretations are encouraged, perhaps ...
WHAT IS THE KEY TO WISCONSIN’S ECONOMIC SUCCESS?
The July 7, 2016, Price County Review described Governor Walker’s June 29 visit to Phillips as a blitz. He flew in, was ushered to the Municipal Building by law enforcement and security personnel for an invitation-only listening session for 20-30 people and a brief interview by local media, was escorted to United Pride Dairy near Phillips to announce $3.2 million in Youth Apprenticeship (YA) state grants, then was escorted back to the airport and flew away.
During his announcement, Walker noted “The key to Wisconsin’s future success rests in our ability to provide ...
EDUCATION BY EXCLUSION
Phase 1: 26 years ago, education by exclusion was wrapped in the camouflage of "parental choice". Charter schools were touted as citadels of best practice, hotbeds of innovation, and a much-needed alternative to "failing" public schools. The courts determined that as long as taxpayer money (vouchers) went to the child and not the school, such public support for religious and other private education did not violate the constitution. The bulging public pocket was now open for picking.
But, the privatizers had a problem: public schools were not failing fast enough, and in ...
CELEBRATE 240 YEARS OF AMERICAN “FREEDOM!” “Liberty and Justice…!”
This July 4th, join us, your family, friends and neighbors, in celebrating our country’s 240th year of “Freedom!”
Last Memorial Day, I saw a sign outside a St. Vincent de Paul resale shop. It said, “Remember those who gave their lives for our Freedom.” That started me thinking.
I grew up in a Marine Corps family. My brother and I were raised to respect the values our country was founded upon – Fairness, Respect and Community Good. We believed in “Freedom” and “Liberty and Justice for all….” but I’d never really considered the meaning of the ...
TOLERANCE OF HUMAN DIVERSITY
“Tolerance, n., willingness to accept behavior and beliefs that are different than your own although you may not agree or approve of them.” Cambridge Online Dictionary
Why is tolerance so lacking in America? In a modern, pluralistic, democratic society “live and let live” is essential. Tolerance is necessary to freedom and the functioning of society. You cannot be free unless your neighbor is also free to be different. We constantly pontificate about freedom but don't want to grant it to other people.
Intolerance, hate, bigotry, and racism have many causes ...
THANK A VETERAN WITH ACTION, NOT WORD
The theme of the Superior Fourth of July parade is “Thank a Veteran.” This is a nice sentiment. But the cliche “thank you for your service” is too often just a meaningless platitude. It is like saying “thank you for shopping at...” when the clerk couldn't care less. Along with “support the troops” bumper stickers, it is part of the propaganda that supports our too frequent wars. Real thanks must be more than words. Real thanks is doing what is right and needed for veterans and their families. It is working to make our country what it should be for everyon...
JULY EVENTS, YOU ARE INVITED
July 5…South African Choir Concert
6:30 p.m.
St. Andrew Church, 3200 North Mountain Road, Wausau
Phone 715-470-4555
Open to the public ….with free-will offering
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July 5….Drinking Liberally
Malarkey’s…..408 Third Street, Wausau, WI
5:30 – 7 p.m.
For more information wausau@drinkingliberally.org
DL is an informal inclusive progressive social group where you can hang out and relax.
D.L gives you a place to talk politics. This is not a book club.
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SACRED LAND, SACRED WATER
Even the casual follower on Facebook can’t miss the photos of the valiant walkers of “33 Days of The Evil Twin #66.” Many a Wisconsinite comes to walk for a day, learning and teaching others along the way about the evil of the twin #66 Enbridge pipeline. Lucrative to producers but costly and perilous to our environment.
Wisconsin is bisected by several pipelines operated by Enbridge, whose base is Calgary, Alberta (foreign oil). The current Enbridge 61 crosses 15 counties, from Superior to Delevan. That’s 321 miles! It removes almost 2000 acres from public ...
