The Jobs Myth

Recently Donald Trump met with Robert Murray, founder and chief executive of Murray Energy, the largest privately held coalmine in the US. Murray is confident Trump will follow through with campaign plans to reinvigorate the coal industry and will start by scrapping Barack Obama’s clean power plan (CPP), Obama’s signature climate change plan. Murray also expects Trump to declassify carbon dioxide as a pollutant.

But Murray has asked Trump to tone down his rhetoric about bringing back mining jobs. “I suggested that he temper his expectations. Those are my exact words,” said Murray. “He can’t bring them back.”

This is the heart of trickle down/supply-side economics the Right has been pushing since their god of capitalism, Ronald Reagan, was king: reducing regulations and cutting corporate taxes will create more jobs. The Economics 101 reality is that unless demand increases there is no incentive to increase supply. The coal industry is a perfect example. There is no market for more coal so what is the point of hiring more people? But the industry sees a chance to be more profitable even at the expense of the environment and the health of the citizenry.

Since the Reagan years there has been no evidence that trickle down economics works for anyone other than the wealthy. Yet the working class clings to the elusive hope that their old jobs are coming back.

Greed is an ugly virtue but the deceit cruelly inflicted on the working class by the wealthy and powerful is truly degenerate.

“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” 
― Edward Abbey

The Danger of Not Thinking

There was an article in Breitbart today in re Trump's budget proposals, specifically relating to the defunding of PBS. In the comments section there was this observation from Aryan Alpha Male:

"Taxpayers shouldn't pay for something they don't use, don't like, and can live without."

Using that brilliant logic, those of you without children shouldn't have to pay taxes that go to education. If you drive a car, don't pay taxes that go towards public transit. Don't like the wall? Don't pay! Can you live without a new aircraft carrier? Don't pay! See the IRS for more details.

I've been overusing this George Carlin quote lately but it is, sadly, so stunningly appropriate: “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”

The Right Thing

This is the banner on the website of the Dept. of Homeland Security. It is so appropriate now. Anger and denial are futile. Activism and resistance are the keys to change. But most importantly, if you see hate and intolerance, say something. Do it cautiously, calmly and wisely; but do it. We are all in this together.

Bookstore People

My first bookstore job was in a Waldenbooks in Dadeland Mall, Miami, FL. In subsequent years whenever I mentioned it, book snobs would respond, often in a snooty voice, "Oh, a chain. In a mall." Although it wasn't a City Lights, Powell's or even a Waterstones, it did have two things in common with those stores: books and book people. The staff was a small, eclectic group of old and young, book lovers all. There were even a few patrons that stood out: the hippie chick from Coral Gables High perusing the Janis Joplin bios and the sublime girlfriend of a frustrated writer who sobbed in the children's section as he read his rejected manuscript that had been published under another name. The girlfriend had a very large purple birthmark, shaped like an inverted arrowhead, that started at the base of her throat and spread to her breastbone.  I hitchhiked to Ohio a few months later. 

When god spoke to me

Many believers think that their god speaks to them in a 
cryptic manner but few have had the good fortune to actually hear his voice in all its glory (more later on why it's a him). I am one of those lucky few. It was November of 1973. I was hitchhiking from Miami, FL to Columbus, Oh. My first ride was a young man who had been paid to drive a car from Miami to Cleveland, OH. I could not believe my luck. One ride all the way. But god works in mysterious ways. A few hours later the engine blew and I was abandoned in the south central part of the state. Although it was late fall, it was Florida, so the sun was bright and warm; but I was all alone on the side of the road. There was nothing to see but blue sky, grass, palmetto palms and asphalt. Suddenly I heard a deep, manly but somewhat tinny voice: "Attention hitchhiker." I searched all four horizons and then finally looked above. Nothing. It was kind of creepy. I chalked it up to a flashback and stuck out my thumb again, although there wasn't a vehicle in sight. Shortly I heard, "Attention hitchhiker. You can't stand there." Holy shit. I still couldn't see anyone. It was then I realized that god must be talking to me. It sounded like he was using a megaphone which didn't strike me as odd at the moment. I was truly stunned. My religious timeline of Catholic school, drafted altar boy, forced church attendance and faked confessions followed by a lazy agnosticism had led me to believe that god had forgotten about me. Apparently he hadn't. But why didn't he want me to stand there? Did he have a greater purpose in mind for me? Without thinking much about it, I picked up my backpack and began walking towards the sound of the heavenly, but tinny, voice. I didn't know what to expect when suddenly I heard, "It won't do you any good to come down here." That didn't sound very godlike. At least not the god they had fooled me into believing existed when I was in Catholic school (he was mean and spiteful but he did give you a fighting, albeit losing, chance). So I took my chances and forged ahead, cresting the top of a small mound, when my eyes rested on my version of the kingdom of heaven: a toll booth for the Florida Turnpike. The bored booth operator, a stickler for state laws, informed me that I was not permitted to hitchhike on or near the turnpike. He directed me towards a state highway close by. I schlepped over there in the hot sun and stuck out my thumb. After only a few minutes, a Florida State Trooper pulled up. He was even more stern than the voice from heaven; no doubt my shoulder-length hair and backpack didn't lighten his mood. He told me that I couldn't hitchhike there, that I would have to go over to the county road. I could see the road. Between me and the road were a creek and a barbed wire fence. I asked the trooper if I could look for a shallow place to cross. He said he knew the creek well and there weren't any shallow places. I said, "You don't give a guy much of a choice, do you?" He replied, " You have a choice. You can cross the creek or get in the car." It was then I realized there was no god.

Actions vs. words

To many it may be tempting to take the bait that Donald Trump cast to the voting public and the media. But there is a colossal distinction between vapid platitudes and inspiring conduct.

In his speech to Congress last night, Trump said, "...we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms." In the two months prior to the speech, the Anti-Defamation League pleaded with Trump to condemn the waves of the threats against the Jewish community. He refused.

Trump said he was imposing a five-year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials. Last month he signed an executive prohibiting the lobbying of one's previous agency only but not any other lobbying.

Trump stated "By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages..." He is against a federal minimum wage hike and thinks state should decide.

Trump went on to say, "As we speak tonight, we are removing gang members, drug dealers, and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens. Bad ones are going out, as I speak, and as I promised throughout the campaign." His executive orders and implementation memos make any illegal imigrant a possible target.

Trump then said, "...the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offense since 9/11 came here from outside of our country." He lied. All the lethal attacks by radicalized Muslims in the U.S. since 2001 have been carried out by U.S. citizens or people who were in the country lawfully. No attacks came from the countries targeted in Trump's original travel ban.

Trump later said, "My administration wants to promote clean air and clean water." He recently signed an executive overturning a regulation prohibiting companies from dumping toxic waste in nearby streams and rivers.

Trump introduced families of victims killed by illegal immigrants. He didn't invite any families of those killed by white supremacists or U.S. nutjobs.

The most powerful yet painful part of the speech was the introduction of Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens.  Owens' parents refused to attend. Trump proclaimed, "I just spoke to our great General Mattis, just now, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, "Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies."  The military said that was not true. Although he referred to Mattis as "great," earlier in the week, Trump blamed the U.S. military for the death of Owens.

“What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

#makeadifference
#resist
#grabyourwallet
#nobannowall