At our core, do Americans oppose bigotry?

Twitter: @rodgermitchell; Search #monetarysovereignty
Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

As a nation of immigrants, we all are part of some minority.

We come from dozens of nations. We carried with us our national customs. And all of us has, at various times, been the victim of bigotry.

If we are Protestant, we may be Adventist, Anglican, Baptist, Calvinist, Lutheran, Methodist or Pentecostal, and within all denominations there are further divisions. And all of us has, at various times, been the victim of bigotry.

Or we may be Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Buddhist, or belong to one of the dozens of other religions. And all of us has, at various times, been the victim of bigotry.

We come in a variety of sizes, shapes, skin colors, facial features and sexual orientations. And all of us has, at various times, been the victim of bigotry.

So we remember — those of us who are decent Americans — we remember the unfairness of being judged on the basis of some generality about one of the groups to which we belong.

We empathize with the pain, and in our decency we do not wish others to suffer that pain.

Sadly, not all of us are decent Americans. There are some who, for whatever psychological reasons, feel the need to make others suffer. Perhaps it is their way to hide their own weaknesses. Or it maybe their way to gain power by catering to the bigots among us.

80 Big-Name Business Leaders Just Took A Stand Against North Carolina’s Anti-LGBT Law
They say the bill is bad for economic development.

The fight against North Carolina’s new anti-LGBT law gained some high-profile support on Tuesday, when more than 80 prominent business leaders signed a letter calling for a full repeal.

“Discrimination is wrong, and we believe it has no place in North Carolina or anywhere in our country,” reads the letter to North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (Republican), released by LGBT civil rights groups Human Rights Campaign and Equality NC.

“As companies that pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming to all, we strongly urge you and the leadership of North Carolina’s legislature to repeal this law in the upcoming legislative session.”

The legislation, which McCrory signed into law last week, prevents local governments from creating their own rules and ordinances to protect LGBT rights.

The governor on Monday dismissed backlash against the legislation as “well-coordinated and more political theater than reality.”

Pressure from corporations has worked before in other states, and the letter made the same arguments that discrimination is bad for business.

For historical reasons, the American South has been particularly and deeply involved in racial bigotry. But for the Republican party, racial bigotry primarily dates back to President Nixon’s “Southern Strategy.”

There is, I suspect, something that could be called, “the bigoted mind,” in that if a person is strongly bigoted against one group, that person is more likely to succumb to the bigotry disease against other groups.

And so it is that Republican governors may believe their Southern states will expand their historical bigotry against blacks to include other colors, certain religions and gays.

The letters from leading corporations probably will work, but for the wrong reason. I predict the law will be overturned because of money and not because of morality.

Governor McCrory will cave because money talks, but he and his followers will remain bigots. He undoubtedly will continue his efforts to punish innocent people.

He will try to disenfranchise minority voters, have his police exert excessive pressure on minorities, deny services to minority residents, and overall, exact his vengeance against those who have less power.

As is typical of bullies, he will not have the courage to state his bigotry, but will try to cloak it in a cloud of high-minded sounding justifications. He will “wink-wink” to his fans, as he “explains” his unfair actions.

This now is the Donald Trump method, and he has led the Republicans in that direction.

But, bigotry was not always the Republican way. Consider the irony of Abraham Lincoln having been a Republican.

At Nixon, the GOP came to a fork in the road, where they could have taken the moral path, but decided the Realpolitik bigot path was the route to election success.

This year, as we were in the time of Lincoln, we will be tested as a nation.

Will we demonstrate kindness and mercy for those less fortunate, or will we turn our backs on what has made America great: Our fundamental American decency?

Will we lift up, or will we kick down those whom fate already has oppressed?

Will we be the compassionate generation or will we be the mean generation? How will history remember us?

Do we even care?

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty

===================================================================================
Ten Steps to Prosperity:
1. Eliminate FICA (Click here)
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D plus long term nursing care — for everyone (Click here)
3. Provide an Economic Bonus to every man, woman and child in America, and/or every state a per capita Economic Bonus. (Click here) Or institute a reverse income tax.
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone. Click here
5. Salary for attending school (Click here)
6. Eliminate corporate taxes (Click here)
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction annually Click here
8. Tax the very rich (.1%) more, with higher, progressive tax rates on all forms of income. (Click here)
9. Federal ownership of all banks (Click here and here)
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99% (Click here)

The Ten Steps will grow the economy, and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and you.
========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

10 Steps to Economic Misery: (Click here:)
1. Maintain or increase the FICA tax..
2. Spread the myth Social Security, Medicare and the U.S. government are insolvent.
3. Cut federal employment in the military, post office, other federal agencies.
4. Broaden the income tax base so more lower income people will pay.
5. Cut financial assistance to the states.
6. Spread the myth federal taxes pay for federal spending.
7. Allow banks to trade for their own accounts; save them when their investments go sour.
8. Never prosecute any banker for criminal activity.
9. Nominate arch conservatives to the Supreme Court.
10. Reduce the federal deficit and debt

THE RECESSION CLOCK

Recessions begin an average of 2 years after the blue line first dips below zero. A common phenomenon is for the line briefly to dip below zero, then rise above zero, before falling dramatically below zero. There was a brief dip below zero in 2015, followed by another dip – the familiar pre-recession pattern.
 Recessions are cured by a rising red line.

Monetary Sovereignty

Vertical gray bars mark recessions.

As the federal deficit growth lines drop, we approach recession, which will be cured only when the growth lines rise. Increasing federal deficit growth (aka “stimulus”) is necessary for long-term economic growth.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Mitchell’s laws:
•Those, who do not understand the differences between Monetary Sovereignty and monetary non-sovereignty, do not understand economics.
•Any monetarily NON-sovereign government — be it city, county, state or nation — that runs an ongoing trade deficit, eventually will run out of money.
•The more federal budgets are cut and taxes increased, the weaker an economy becomes..
•No nation can tax itself into prosperity, nor grow without money growth.
•Cutting federal deficits to grow the economy is like applying leeches to cure anemia.
•A growing economy requires a growing supply of money (GDP = Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports)
•Deficit spending grows the supply of money
•The limit to federal deficit spending is an inflation that cannot be cured with interest rate control.
•The limit to non-federal deficit spending is the ability to borrow.

•Liberals think the purpose of government is to protect the poor and powerless from the rich and powerful. Conservatives think the purpose of government is to protect the rich and powerful from the poor and powerless.

•The single most important problem in economics is the Gap between rich and the rest..
•Austerity is the government’s method for widening the Gap between rich and poor.
•Until the 99% understand the need for federal deficits, the upper 1% will rule.
•Everything in economics devolves to motive, and the motive is the Gap between the rich and the rest..

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY

For once, I agree with right-wing gun nuts

Twitter: @rodgermitchell; Search #monetarysovereignty
Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

This time I agree with the right-wing gun nuts:

A petition has been signed by more than 41,000 people who want the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, to allow guns to be openly carried during the convention, which runs from July 18 to 21.

Ohio allows for firearm open carry, but certain locations in the state, including the arena, prohibit firearms anywhere on the premises.

The petition, which was launched last week, includes a photo of a military-style assault rifle and calls the arena’s stance on guns “a direct affront to the Second Amendment and puts all attendees at risk.”

The petition is addressed to all three Republican presidential candidates, Trump, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich, and asks them to push the Republican National Committee to allow the open carry of firearms during the convention.

While it remains unclear whether the petition is genuine or actually a satire, it is being taken seriously by many.

A blog and Twitter user named Hyperationalist—whose biography states “speaking truth to stupid”—said on its WordPress page on Thursday that it launched the petition, acknowledging that it has “clearly struck a nerve.”

The Change.org petition says “Cleveland, Ohio is consistently ranked as one of the top ten most dangerous cities in America,” and by prohibiting guns from the arena, “the RNC and Quicken Loans Arena are putting tens of thousands of people at risk both inside and outside the convention site.”

The petition also includes “the possibility of an ISIS terrorist attack on the arena during the convention.”

I’m not sure whether or not this is a black joke, but in any case I’m all for it.

I think all the delegates to the Republican convention should carry not just handguns or even military-style rifles, but 50 calibre machine guns with belt ammo. Obviously that will make the convention less dangerous.

And Trump’s delegates won’t have to “sucker-punch” or beat people who disagree with them; they can resolve differences with finality.

If possible, delegates should have bazookas too, in case ISIS attacks with tanks.

Trump said he wants to “study the fine print” of the petition and said he hasn’t yet read it. He also referred to himself as “a very, very strong person for [the] Second Amendment.”

America, this is your Republican party at work.

While Trump “studies the fine print,” the rest of the crazies won’t need to study.  They’ll be all for it.

Me, too.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty

 

===================================================================================
Ten Steps to Prosperity:
1. Eliminate FICA (Click here)
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D plus long term nursing care — for everyone (Click here)
3. Provide an Economic Bonus to every man, woman and child in America, and/or every state a per capita Economic Bonus. (Click here) Or institute a reverse income tax.
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone. Click here
5. Salary for attending school (Click here)
6. Eliminate corporate taxes (Click here)
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction annually Click here
8. Tax the very rich (.1%) more, with higher, progressive tax rates on all forms of income. (Click here)
9. Federal ownership of all banks (Click here and here)
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99% (Click here)

The Ten Steps will grow the economy, and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and you.
========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

10 Steps to Economic Misery: (Click here:)
1. Maintain or increase the FICA tax..
2. Spread the myth Social Security, Medicare and the U.S. government are insolvent.
3. Cut federal employment in the military, post office, other federal agencies.
4. Broaden the income tax base so more lower income people will pay.
5. Cut financial assistance to the states.
6. Spread the myth federal taxes pay for federal spending.
7. Allow banks to trade for their own accounts; save them when their investments go sour.
8. Never prosecute any banker for criminal activity.
9. Nominate arch conservatives to the Supreme Court.
10. Reduce the federal deficit and debt

THE RECESSION CLOCK

Recessions begin an average of 2 years after the blue line first dips below zero. A common phenomenon is for the line briefly to dip below zero, then rise above zero, before falling dramatically below zero. There was a brief dip below zero in 2015, followed by another dip – the familiar pre-recession pattern.
 Recessions are cured by a rising red line.

Monetary Sovereignty

Vertical gray bars mark recessions.

As the federal deficit growth lines drop, we approach recession, which will be cured only when the growth lines rise. Increasing federal deficit growth (aka “stimulus”) is necessary for long-term economic growth.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Mitchell’s laws:
•Those, who do not understand the differences between Monetary Sovereignty and monetary non-sovereignty, do not understand economics.
•Any monetarily NON-sovereign government — be it city, county, state or nation — that runs an ongoing trade deficit, eventually will run out of money.
•The more federal budgets are cut and taxes increased, the weaker an economy becomes..
•No nation can tax itself into prosperity, nor grow without money growth.
•Cutting federal deficits to grow the economy is like applying leeches to cure anemia.
•A growing economy requires a growing supply of money (GDP = Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports)
•Deficit spending grows the supply of money
•The limit to federal deficit spending is an inflation that cannot be cured with interest rate control.
•The limit to non-federal deficit spending is the ability to borrow.

•Liberals think the purpose of government is to protect the poor and powerless from the rich and powerful. Conservatives think the purpose of government is to protect the rich and powerful from the poor and powerless.

•The single most important problem in economics is the Gap between rich and the rest..
•Austerity is the government’s method for widening the Gap between rich and poor.
•Until the 99% understand the need for federal deficits, the upper 1% will rule.
•Everything in economics devolves to motive, and the motive is the Gap between the rich and the rest..

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY

World’s shortest lists

Twitter: @rodgermitchell; Search #monetarysovereignty
Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

We all like lists. We enjoy reading lists of the fastest, the biggest, the richest. Lists are interesting and fun.

But there is one kind of list we seldom see: The shortest list, for instance, a list of people who have walked on the sun, or a list of people who admire Sarah Palin’s brains.

For your interest, I give a partial list of those shortest lists. Feel free to add your own.

List of:

— ways Donald Trump differs from the Republican Party as a whole

–- ways Trump would make America great

— Trump’s and Ted Cruz’s kindnesses to the poor and less fortunate

— criminal bankers punished by Democrats

— Republicans who have voted to punish criminal bankers

— instances when Trump has exhibited courage, toughness, compassion or morality

— Republicans who propose tax increases on the rich

— ways Hillary Clinton’s slow comment on Benghazi hurt America

— ways Clinton’s policies will differ from Barack Obama’s

–- occasions when Clinton refused money

— Wealthy people who give large political donations and expect nothing in return

–- Republicans who had something kind, good or generous to say about gays

— reasons Clinton, Trump or Cruz would help America more than would Bernie Sanders

— reasons college kids carrying guns on campus makes everyone safer

— reasons total strangers carrying guns on the street makes you safer

— reasons total strangers carrying guns in a bar makes you safer

— reasons alcohol is safer, healthier or better in any way than marijuana

–- reasons all Muslims are the same

–- things Trump doesn’t believe he is the greatest at

–- reasons an embryo is more important than a mother

–- evidences that the very poor are lazier than the very rich

–- evidences that the death penalty reduces crime

–- evidences that global warming is not being exacerbated by increased, man-made CO2

— ways the “War on Drugs” has worked

–- ways George W. Bush improved the lives of the middle and lower income American

–- reasons why free medical insurance for all Americans is a bad idea

–- reasons why free college for all Americans is a bad idea

— reasons state and local governments are more honest than the federal government

— the ways the federal government unintentionally can run short of dollars and be unable to pay its bills.

— reasons the federal government is poor and you are rich (so its debt is worse than your debt)

— reasons the federal debt is “unsustainable”

— reasons the federal deficit should be reduced

— instances when the Christian fundamentalist right acts as Christ would have acted

–- intelligent people who believe the NRA is not a shill for the gun manufacturers

— hyper-inflations in United States history

— U.S. recessions and depressions caused by excessive federal deficit spending

–- U.S. recessions and depressions not cured by increased deficit spending

— children who have become more patriotic as a result of chanting the “Pledge of Allegiance”

— honest politicians

— politicians who understand Monetary Sovereignty

–- people to whom you’ve successfully been able to explain Monetary Sovereignty an

Ironically, this list of shortest lists is long, and surely could grow longer. See if you can think of more very short lists.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty

 

===================================================================================
Ten Steps to Prosperity:
1. Eliminate FICA (Click here)
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D plus long term nursing care — for everyone (Click here)
3. Provide an Economic Bonus to every man, woman and child in America, and/or every state a per capita Economic Bonus. (Click here) Or institute a reverse income tax.
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone. Click here
5. Salary for attending school (Click here)
6. Eliminate corporate taxes (Click here)
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction annually Click here
8. Tax the very rich (.1%) more, with higher, progressive tax rates on all forms of income. (Click here)
9. Federal ownership of all banks (Click here and here)
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99% (Click here)

The Ten Steps will grow the economy, and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and you.
========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

10 Steps to Economic Misery: (Click here:)
1. Maintain or increase the FICA tax..
2. Spread the myth Social Security, Medicare and the U.S. government are insolvent.
3. Cut federal employment in the military, post office, other federal agencies.
4. Broaden the income tax base so more lower income people will pay.
5. Cut financial assistance to the states.
6. Spread the myth federal taxes pay for federal spending.
7. Allow banks to trade for their own accounts; save them when their investments go sour.
8. Never prosecute any banker for criminal activity.
9. Nominate arch conservatives to the Supreme Court.
10. Reduce the federal deficit and debt

THE RECESSION CLOCK

Recessions begin an average of 2 years after the blue line first dips below zero. A common phenomenon is for the line briefly to dip below zero, then rise above zero, before falling dramatically below zero. There was a brief dip below zero in 2015, followed by another dip – the familiar pre-recession pattern.
 Recessions are cured by a rising red line.

Monetary Sovereignty

Vertical gray bars mark recessions.

As the federal deficit growth lines drop, we approach recession, which will be cured only when the growth lines rise. Increasing federal deficit growth (aka “stimulus”) is necessary for long-term economic growth.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Mitchell’s laws:
•Those, who do not understand the differences between Monetary Sovereignty and monetary non-sovereignty, do not understand economics.
•Any monetarily NON-sovereign government — be it city, county, state or nation — that runs an ongoing trade deficit, eventually will run out of money.
•The more federal budgets are cut and taxes increased, the weaker an economy becomes..
•No nation can tax itself into prosperity, nor grow without money growth.
•Cutting federal deficits to grow the economy is like applying leeches to cure anemia.
•A growing economy requires a growing supply of money (GDP = Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports)
•Deficit spending grows the supply of money
•The limit to federal deficit spending is an inflation that cannot be cured with interest rate control.
•The limit to non-federal deficit spending is the ability to borrow.

•Liberals think the purpose of government is to protect the poor and powerless from the rich and powerful. Conservatives think the purpose of government is to protect the rich and powerful from the poor and powerless.

•The single most important problem in economics is the Gap between rich and the rest..
•Austerity is the government’s method for widening the Gap between rich and poor.
•Until the 99% understand the need for federal deficits, the upper 1% will rule.
•Everything in economics devolves to motive, and the motive is the Gap between the rich and the rest..

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY

Could it be any more stupid than this?

Twitter: @rodgermitchell; Search #monetarysovereignty
Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

I thought Ted Cruz — the guy who wants to shut down the American government unless he gets his way — the guy who wants to “carpet bomb” the Middle-East, killing many thousands of innocent men, women and children — the guy who wants to devote police resources to “patrolling and securing” Muslim neighborhoods in the United States, while vowing to shrink oppressive government — yes, I thought Ted Cruz was exceptionally stupid.

(When I say “stupid,” I’m not talking just about pure IQ. I’m referring to people who lack the calm, logical reasoning skills needed in a working society.)

But then I thought about Donald Trump — the guy who said he receives no foreign policy advice and that he consults himself, because “I have a very good brain” — the guy who was so frightened by Megyn Kelly, he wouldn’t attend a debate at which she was a moderator — the guy who wanted to ban all Muslims from America, and build a wall paid for by Mexico and deport 11 million men, women and children — yes, that guy is even more stupid than Cruz.

And Cruz followers are even more stupid. And Trump followers are even more stupid, yet.

Have we reached the apex of stupidity? Could anything be more stupid than the Cruz/Trump/followers combo? Just when that seemed impossible, I read this in the March 27, 2016 Florida SunSentinel:

Campus gun law faces fire

Public colleges and universities in Texas will no longer be able to ban the concealed carrying of handguns when a new law takes effect in August.

The campus-carry law passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature last year was a victory for gun rights advocates, who say it will make campuses safer.

Yes, because young people are known for their common sense, their patience and their clear understanding of reality (except during times when they are awake), allowing them all to carry guns surely will make everyone safer — except for maybe professors.

In academia, it has spurred a movement of protesters who worry it will make schools more dangerous, hurt recruitment of faculty and students and create an atmosphere of fear that even affects how professors issue grades.

At least two professors have resigned.

One was Danile Hamermesh, who taught an introductory economics course, and said he feared that “a disgruntled student with a gun would ‘lose it,’ pull out the gun and shoot the instructor.

Who ever heard of such a thing — a student angry about a grade? A drunk student angry about his girlfriend. A student high on drugs angry about the outcome of a football game? Does that ever happen?

Max Snodderly, a professor of neuroscience, said, “Students get very angry if they feel they’re getting a grade they don’t deserve. I have students who come in absolutely red-faced — ‘Why did I get this grade?'”

Give a child a loaded gun in a high-stress situation like college, where drugs and alcohol are readily available, sex hormones are raging and the possibility of flunking out looms in the background.

What could possibly go wrong?

So the question: What could be more stupid than Cruz, Trump and their followers?

The answer: Gun nuts. These clearly are the most stupid people on the planet.

The jails are filled with them. And the cemeteries are filled with their victims.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty

 

===================================================================================
Ten Steps to Prosperity:
1. Eliminate FICA (Click here)
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D plus long term nursing care — for everyone (Click here)
3. Provide an Economic Bonus to every man, woman and child in America, and/or every state a per capita Economic Bonus. (Click here) Or institute a reverse income tax.
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone. Click here
5. Salary for attending school (Click here)
6. Eliminate corporate taxes (Click here)
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction annually Click here
8. Tax the very rich (.1%) more, with higher, progressive tax rates on all forms of income. (Click here)
9. Federal ownership of all banks (Click here and here)
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99% (Click here)

The Ten Steps will grow the economy, and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and you.
========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

10 Steps to Economic Misery: (Click here:)
1. Maintain or increase the FICA tax..
2. Spread the myth Social Security, Medicare and the U.S. government are insolvent.
3. Cut federal employment in the military, post office, other federal agencies.
4. Broaden the income tax base so more lower income people will pay.
5. Cut financial assistance to the states.
6. Spread the myth federal taxes pay for federal spending.
7. Allow banks to trade for their own accounts; save them when their investments go sour.
8. Never prosecute any banker for criminal activity.
9. Nominate arch conservatives to the Supreme Court.
10. Reduce the federal deficit and debt

THE RECESSION CLOCK

Recessions begin an average of 2 years after the blue line first dips below zero. A common phenomenon is for the line briefly to dip below zero, then rise above zero, before falling dramatically below zero. There was a brief dip below zero in 2015, followed by another dip – the familiar pre-recession pattern.
 Recessions are cured by a rising red line.

Monetary Sovereignty

Vertical gray bars mark recessions.

As the federal deficit growth lines drop, we approach recession, which will be cured only when the growth lines rise. Increasing federal deficit growth (aka “stimulus”) is necessary for long-term economic growth.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Mitchell’s laws:
•Those, who do not understand the differences between Monetary Sovereignty and monetary non-sovereignty, do not understand economics.
•Any monetarily NON-sovereign government — be it city, county, state or nation — that runs an ongoing trade deficit, eventually will run out of money.
•The more federal budgets are cut and taxes increased, the weaker an economy becomes..
•No nation can tax itself into prosperity, nor grow without money growth.
•Cutting federal deficits to grow the economy is like applying leeches to cure anemia.
•A growing economy requires a growing supply of money (GDP = Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports)
•Deficit spending grows the supply of money
•The limit to federal deficit spending is an inflation that cannot be cured with interest rate control.
•The limit to non-federal deficit spending is the ability to borrow.

•Liberals think the purpose of government is to protect the poor and powerless from the rich and powerful. Conservatives think the purpose of government is to protect the rich and powerful from the poor and powerless.

•The single most important problem in economics is the Gap between rich and the rest..
•Austerity is the government’s method for widening the Gap between rich and poor.
•Until the 99% understand the need for federal deficits, the upper 1% will rule.
•Everything in economics devolves to motive, and the motive is the Gap between the rich and the rest..

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY