Liberal Policies Bad for America! No Way!

When America isn't Liberal. It isn't America

America and Americans have been Fleeced by Trickle-down Economics of the Conservative Right – not the Liberal Left!   I’m pissed that Republicans and Right-Wing conservatives keep blaming liberals for the conditions of our inner cities and actually America in general. They say that liberal policies have had a negative impact on the residents of our inner cities. What has destroyed the lives of many in the inner cities, destroyed the American Dream in the Inner City and the majority of the country? I’ll tell you – Republican policies and conservative corporate policy!!  Who destroyed the unions, who shipped American jobs overseas and most of all who created an income gap between the rich and normal Americans! Not the Liberals, it’s the frigging fraudulent conservative trickle-down economics! America grew in the 50s through the 80s because the lower and middle classes had money! Money to spend to buy the products that corporate America was selling! Then Reagan came along selling his lies that if we made corporate America rich, it would trickle down to all! It was voodoo economics then and it is voodoo economics now! And over the last 35 years the effects of those policies have been compound by corporations outsourcing American jobs giving the middle and lower class even less disposable income!! So while we have watched once prosperous towns throughout America become ghost towns As we see  our infrastructure crumble.around us, driving over dangerous bridges and clogged roadways, the rich keep right on getting richer and…

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Happy “Juneteenth” and “World Sauntering Day”!!

Sauntering through the Woods

Good Morning World!!  Let’s All Go Sauntering Somewhere Today! Where’s That Oliver Today?? Can you saunter with a stroller??   Today is a special day in the United States particularly within the African-American community  where Juneteenth is celebrated!!  From Wikipedia: Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas in 1865, and more generally the emancipation of African-Americancitizens throughout the United States. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth,[1][2] and is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in most states. Read More It is also a day to go outside and simply walk slowly with a happy disposition, and commune with nature and just enjoy the day, because it’s World Sauntering Day!!  “World Sauntering Day” is celebrated on the 19th day of June every year. The purpose is to remind us to take it easy, smell the roses, to slow down and enjoy life as opposed to rushing through it. It is also sometimes referred to as International Sauntering Day So who did this great holiday start….. The exact year of its origin is 1979, and it is believed to have begun at Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island) in Michigan. The Grand Hotel has the world’s longest porch at 660 feet in length. The holiday was created by W.T. Rabe in response to the growing popularity of jogging. The idea behind the day was to encourage people to slow down and appreciate the world around them. More at Wikipedia..…. Now…

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Happy "Juneteenth" and "World Sauntering Day"!!

Sauntering through the Woods

Good Morning World!!  Let’s All Go Sauntering Somewhere Today! Where’s That Oliver Today?? Can you saunter with a stroller??   Today is a special day in the United States particularly within the African-American community  where Juneteenth is celebrated!!  From Wikipedia: Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas in 1865, and more generally the emancipation of African-Americancitizens throughout the United States. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth,[1][2] and is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in most states. Read More It is also a day to go outside and simply walk slowly with a happy disposition, and commune with nature and just enjoy the day, because it’s World Sauntering Day!!  “World Sauntering Day” is celebrated on the 19th day of June every year. The purpose is to remind us to take it easy, smell the roses, to slow down and enjoy life as opposed to rushing through it. It is also sometimes referred to as International Sauntering Day So who did this great holiday start….. The exact year of its origin is 1979, and it is believed to have begun at Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island) in Michigan. The Grand Hotel has the world’s longest porch at 660 feet in length. The holiday was created by W.T. Rabe in response to the growing popularity of jogging. The idea behind the day was to encourage people to slow down and appreciate the world around them. More at Wikipedia..…. Now…

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Robert La Follette – Wisconsin Republican Progressive!!

Robert La Follette – “Fighting Bob” – Wisconsin Governor, Senator and Presidential Candidate (June 14, 1855 – June 18, 1925) Among those born on June 14th is  another unsung American heroes the Republican/Progressive,from Wisconsin Senator Robert La Follette. Yes, while it is hard to believe considering today’s Wisconsin, under the governorship of Scott Walker. Wisconsin was once a very progressive state!  Well there is one really big black sheep Joseph McCarthy (at least in my opinion). In my lifetime, notable Senators from Wisconsin include: Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day, William Proxmire creator of the Golden Fleece Award. Most the most recent carrier of the mantle of Progressives from Wisconsin is Russ Feingold. Feingold has recently reentered the political arena and will hopefully regain his seat in the Senate. Anyway, I sure hope so! But back to the politician whose birthday we celebrate today! Robert La Follette…. From Wikipedia…. Robert Marion “Fighting Bob” La Follette Sr. (June 14, 1855 – June 18, 1925) was an American Republican (and later a Progressive) politician. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was the Governor of Wisconsin, and was also a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1906 to 1925). He ran for President of the United States as the nominee of his own Progressive Party in 1924, carrying Wisconsin and 17% of the national popular vote…. ….He is best remembered as a proponent of progressivism and a vocal opponent of railroad trusts, bossism, World War I, and the League of Nations. In…

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Trooping the Colour Day, Flag Day and Bourbon Distilled!

  June 14th – Trooping the Colour Day in the UK, Flag Day in the US and Bourbon was first distilled!   Today is Trooping the Colour Day in the United Kingdom, as well as, the Official Birthday of the Queen from Wikipedia…. Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment’s colours, or flags, were used as rallying points. Consequently, regiments would have their ensigns slowly march with their colours between the soldiers’ ranks to enable soldiers to recognise their regiments’ colours. Since 1748 Trooping the Colour has also marked the official birthday of the British sovereign.[1] It is held in London annually on a Saturday in June[2] on Horse Guards Parade by St. James’s Park, and coincides with the publication of the Birthday Honours List. Among the audience are the Royal Family, invited guests, ticketholders and the general public. The colourful ceremony, also known as “The Queen’s Birthday Parade“, is broadcast live by the BBC.Read More I read about the above, after I read that on this date….. On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress decided to proceed with the establishment of a Continental Army for purposes of common defense, adopting the forces already in place outside Boston (22,000 troops) and New York (5,000). It also raised the first ten companies of Continental troops on a one-year…

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Police Killings Out of Control? – Today's Reads

America is Number One in Police Killings – Western Democracies not even close! So it’s been a long while since I’ve done a daily reads post, so here goes……before we start let me remind everyone that I am a liberal Democrat and have been since the 60s! So one of the aspects of life in America that certainly has me pissed off recently is the number of  police killings over the last year or so. Certainly as a percentage of deaths and or arrests the rate is still fairly low – in other words what I’m trying to say is that the percentage of good policemen is still high. I just wish those cops could get the other cops over on their side!! I for one can’t  understand how with all the publicity surrounding these police killings that al of the policemen aren’t on their  best behavior everywhere. These police killings certainly bring shame to our country and need to STOP!! The following post from AlterNet shows how bad things really are… America Is #1 in Police Killings Among Western Democracies — But We’re Only Just Discovering How Bad the Situation Is   Even before the Washington Postpublished its startling report this weekend on the astronomically high number of Americans shot and killed by police in the first five months of 2015, the U.S. was already easily number one….. Look at these numbers! …..No matter which numbers you look at—even in the unlikely case that not one more case of deadly force…

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What Then Must We Do? – Gar Alperovitz

What Then Must We Do? Straight Talk About the Next American Revolution        Gar Alperovitz The Democracy Collaborative and The Next System Project I think that few would argue that I country that was once a proud beacon for the world is in good shape. Our political system doesn’t seem to work any more, our economic system only helps the rich get richer  Thoughts of upward mobility among the lower and middle classes have been crushed and it seems that the only people doing well in this day and age are members of the upper upper class. To me it actually seems hopeless. Corporate lobbyists control Congress and the elite and Corporations now control our elections thanks to Citizens United!! And what really pisses me off is that they get all our hard earned money and then they don’t even pay and damn taxes and take away all our jobs to boot!!! It all seems so damn hopeless! But what if there was a better way! A few weeks ago I came across a website and program titled The Next System Project. From their website…. The Next System Project is an ambitious multi-year initiative aimed at thinking boldly about what is required to deal with the systemic challenges the United States faces now and in coming decades. Responding to real hunger for a new way forward, and building on innovative thinking and practical experience with new economic institutions and approaches being developed in communities across the country and around…

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The Theremin,Ruth Rendell,and Star Wars Day

  Monday Explorations: Ruth Rendell, Star Wars Day and the Theremin….   This morning as I was looking over the front page of Wikipedia to see what was new, I noted that author Ruth Rendell has passed away. One would think that as a lover of mystery books I would have read plenty of Ruth Rendell’s works, but somehow I have avoided them and I can’t give you one good reason why!! From Wikipedia: Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE (née Grasemann; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries.[1] Rendell’s best-known creation, Chief Inspector Wexford, was the hero of many popular police stories, some of them successfully adapted for TV. But Rendell also generated a separate brand of crime fiction that explored deeply into the psychological background of criminals and their victims, many of them mentally afflicted or otherwise socially isolated. This theme was developed further in a third series of novels, written under her pseudonym Barbara Vine. Read More I do have a copy of her book The Vault on my TBR shelf. My wife accidentally bought it one Christmas when I asked for a book with the same title from a different author. She read it and liked it. Maybe it’s time now to enjoy Rendell’s tremendous legacy!! Next I saw that today May 4th is Star Wars Day Star Wars Day is an unofficial secular holiday in May that celebrates the Star Wars franchise created…

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The Presidents’ War – Chris DeRose

The Presidents’ War: Six American Presidents and the Civil War That Divided Them       Chris DeRose (Book 18 of 2015)   Through the years,I have read many books about the Civil War. Most of those books center around the battles and the Generals. Until I saw the book The Presidents’ War I never thought or knew about the former Presidents who were alive during the conflict. As a matter of fact, the book’s author Chris DeRose writes in the Acknowledgments of the book ….I had never known of the former presidents who lived to see the Civil War until a visit to Seattle in 2012 and a conversation with my friend. It was that friend Rob Peck, who inspired the book! Anyway, the point is if Mr DeRose author of two previous Congressman Lincoln: The Making of America’s Greatest President(2013) and Founding Rivals: Madison vs. Monroe, the Bill of Rights, and the Election That Saved a Nation ( 2011) and  a visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Arizona Summit Law School, where he teaching Constitutional Law, International Law, and Election Law/Voting Rights hadn’t heard about the presidents alive during the Civil War until 2012, I don’t feel so bad about not thinking about them until after reading his book!! The five living ex-President’s alive at the start of the Civil War were John Tyler, Martin Van Buren, Millard Filllmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan.  Each of those Presidents faced the underlying causes of the War and did little to avoid the coming…

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