255 results for author: Phil Anderson
Ballot Initiatives: Wisconsin April 4 Election
The Wisconsin election coming up on April 4th is important for the Supreme Court race. Literally what kind of society Wisconsin will be is at stake. Will we return our progressive roots or continue undemocratic and uncivil the politics of the lat 14 years?
But there are also three other items on the ballot that voters need to know about. The first and second are proposed constitutional amendments regarding cash bail. The third is an advisory referendum asking the public's opinion on work requirements for public assistance programs.
Why are these topics on the ballot? One would think both involve details of law and program regulation best left to ...
Freedom Is On The Ballot
“Whoever wins this election will determine whether our freedoms expand in Wisconsin, or whether our freedoms shrink in Wisconsin.” Matthew Rothschild, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
“The Wisconsin Supreme Court spent its 2021–22 term systematically weakening our democracy...[with rulings] that had dramatic implications for how our vote counts and how our government works.” Law Forward, in a November 2022 report.
Who wins the the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 4 will determine the ideological direction of the court for years to come. Whether the court remains radically conservative or a new, progressive majority takes control ...
Balloons, Secrecy and Paranoia
The news last week was the Chinese invasion of the country with a balloon. As the apparently harmless balloon floated across the country it sparked a great deal of angst, speculation, misinformation and plain stupidity.
One wonders if anyone, our government leaders, the news media or the American people ever stop to think before overreacting. The Chinese spy balloon saga and the ongoing classified documents scandals are examples. Critical thinking skills are in short supply but paranoia is abundant.
Of course, the balloon was immediately branded as a “spy balloon.” The Chinese claim it was a civilian atmospheric research balloon that blew ...
Freedom Is Healthcare For All
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system.”
Walter Cronkite, CBS Evening News anchorman for 19 years (1962 to 1981) and "the most trusted man in America.”
The United States is the only country of the major economic powers where medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy. Only in America do people live in fear of an illness resulting in financial ruin. Only in America do 30 million people, 9.0 % of the population, lack health insurance and access to normal healthcare. Forty-three ...
Democracy and Political Violence
“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his book “Strength to Love.”
Driving to Green Bay recently I noticed a number of billboards that said “Thank a cop.” That part of Wisconsin being staunchly right wing, one would assume this message was a reaction to Black Lives Matter protests and efforts to make police more accountable for excessive use of force against minorities.
We were driving through a snow storm and it occurred to me that “Thank a snowplow driver” would have been a more appropriate expression of ...
Nuclear Weapons and the Environment
January 22, 2023 marked the second anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. On January 22, 2021 nuclear weapons officially became illegal under international law. The world community declared the mass murder resulting from using nuclear weapons a crime against humanity. Currently 92 nations have signed and 68 have ratified the treaty and are bound by its provisions.
Unfortunately, none of the nine countries who have nuclear weapons have signed and ratified the treaty. Because they have not, the treaty does not apply to them. As a result, human civilization and most, if not all, life on earth is still threatened by the ...
Crime and Too Little Punishment
“Some men rob you with a six-gun – others rob you with a fountain pen.” Woody Guthrie
“Do the math. Far from a deterrent, multi-million dollar fines are a minuscule cost of doing business...million dollar fines on billion dollar profiteering won't deter it...” Jim Hightower on fines for illegal behavior in the meat packing industry.
Last week I wrote about corporate crime and how it is more prevalent, more costly, and more harmful to society than ordinary street crime (like murder, assault, robbery or rape). This week we look at the enemic law enforcement for corporate crime, the lack of meaningful consequen...
Corporate Crime
“The irony is that the nation I live in, once a beacon of democracy for my parents, is now dominated by corporations that value profit over people, safety and well-being,” Marta Tellado, CEO of Consumer Reports. Her parents fled Cuba in 1961.
Crime was a major issue in the recent election. According to the Republicans “crime is skyrocketing” and honest citizens are living in fear of widespread violent crime. “Criminals are “wreaking havoc on American cities” said Rep. Tom Tiffany despite his mostly rural northern Wisconsin congressional district having very low rates of crime.
Of course the Republicans grossly exaggerate the ...
The Costs of Convenience
Climate change is caused by all of us. We all make choices that contribute to the problem. As individuals and as a nation we are not willing to sacrifice even smallest of conveniences to help mitigate the problems.
In her song “Is It for Freedom” singer-songwriter Sara Thomsen asks, “Who pays the cost for the convenience we demand?” Her song is about war, but the question can apply to environmental issues. The answer is all humanity and the biosphere are paying the cost.
Climate change is just one manifestation of our selfishness. Our wastefulness is another area of denial.
Waste is a human invention. Nature has no waste. In nature ...
Tipping Points
“Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species – man – acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.” Rachel Carson author of Silent Spring writing during the 20th century.
“...the unifying theme of collapsed civilizations is collective blindness to the depletion of natural resources.” Sara Wheeler in Magnetic North
Humans are the only species that significantly impacts the earth. All species use the earth's natural resources. But humans are busy overusing nature's abundance and destroying nature's life support systems. Humans have altered the earth's climate, oceans and ...