–The moral GPS of politics

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

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. .
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 poor.
•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..

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Politics has no moral GPS. “Right,” “wrong,” “good,” “bad,” “compassion,” “belief” — those words have little meaning in the political circus.

The only words that count: “Win” and “lose.”

It always was thus, but far worse today, with the Tea Party zombies gnawing at the necks of the Republican faithful.

Even children are not exempt from their blood-lust:

Judge rules illegal immigrant parents with children should be released

Illegal immigrant parents and children should usually be released rather than held in custody, a federal judge ruled late Friday.

Judge McGee also ruled that the facilities Homeland Security set up to house the illegal immigrant mothers and children that streamed across the border during last year’s surge violate a 1997 agreement, and cannot be used.

Judge McGee cited “widespread and deplorable conditions” in the detention centers, which she said included cold cells, lack of trash cans, and keeping lights on at all times, potentially disrupting sleep patterns.

The amoral among us might say that these are illegals, so treat them like animals. The Americans among us might whisperingly mention that these are human beings, children desperately trying to escape the murder and rape Donald Trump claims to abhor.

Despite Bush/Cheney blithe assurances, torture is an un-American way to deal with any people, least of all, children.

“In light of the voluminous evidence that Plaintiffs have presented of the egregious conditions of the holding cells, the court finds that defendants have materially breached the Agreement’s term that defendants provide ‘safe and sanitary’ holding cells for class members while they are in temporary custody,” Judge McGee said.

“The court’s ruling makes clear that the administration should simply stop locking up children and their mothers in immigration detention facilities,” said Eleanor Acer of Human Rights First, one of the groups that’s protested the detentions.

Most of the attention from last year’s surge went to the more than 68,000 children caught at the border who were unaccompanied by parents, but just as big of a problem were the tens of thousands of children who crossed with a parent. Indeed, 38,845 children traveling with a parent were also caught.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Marsha Catron said they’ll take stock of their legal options.

“We are disappointed with the court’s decision and are reviewing it in consultation with the Department of Justice. We plan to respond to the Court’s order to show cause by August 3,” Ms. Catron said.

President Obama reveals two faces on many issues, this being no exception. One face is that of “Deporter in Chief,” as his administration has deported more immigrants — destroying more innocent lives — than any in U.S. history.

The other face is that of “compassionate protector,” as he has found ways to shelter and absorb many thousands of immigrants.

So, what is going on here?

It’s Politics.

The genetic nature of compassionate, “bleeding heart” Democrats is to protect the less fortunate: The “tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of a teeming shore, the homeless, tempest-tost”  — the people our best-known statue boastfully welcomes to America’s largest city.

But, since the unfortunate disinterment of the Tea Party, and its abduction of the Republicans, a shameful idea has dominated: Win at all costs; damn the people, full speed ahead.

So in what seemingly is political innocence, President Obama repeatedly attempts to play nice with the opposition, hoping that a powerful show of weakness and cowardice will encourage them to play nice with him.

It has worked exactly never, both in his international politics and his domestic politics, punishing friends and emboldening enemies.

The Obama administration decided that in order to deter those with children, Homeland Security would begin locking them up, rather than releasing them.

Secretary Jeh Johnson has said that policy was a success, and the flow of both accompanied and unaccompanied children is down substantially this year.

“The policy was a success.” Torturing children really does work. It prevents them from swimming to our life raft, and instead forces them to remain asea, where they will drown in torment and squalor.

Truly effective.

We have a bifurcated compassionate/cruel administration, which has resulted in the obscene picture of a Democrat administration torturing children in order to reduce the number coming here “yearning to breathe free.”

Is the world’s wealthiest and third-largest nation — a nation of 320 million people, a nation with the unlimited ability to create money, a geographically huge nation populated with immigrants and descendants of immigrants — is that nation unable to absorb a few thousand or even a few million people, whose primary crime is braving a hazardous journey to escape misery and to pursue life, liberty and happiness?

Lacking only a piece of paper with the word “Citizen” stamped on it (a piece of paper that, for no good reason, has been made ridiculously difficult to obtain), are these people to be sent back to torture and death, before being held here in deplorable conditions?

Is that what America is about? Is this who we are?

Does politics require us to lose our humanity, our special place in the world, our moral GPS?

Are we allowed compassion?

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty

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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
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 add dollars to the economy, stimulate the economy, and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and the rest.
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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

No nation can tax itself into prosperity, nor grow without money growth. Monetary Sovereignty: Cutting federal deficits to grow the economy is like applying leeches to cure anemia.
1. A growing economy requires a growing supply of dollars (GDP=Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports)
2. All deficit spending grows the supply of dollars
3. The limit to federal deficit spending is an inflation that cannot be cured with interest rate control.
4. The limit to non-federal deficit spending is the ability to borrow.

THE RECESSION CLOCK
Monetary Sovereignty

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.

#MONETARYSOVEREIGNTY

–Who are these people who want to continue DADT?

The debt hawks are to economics as the creationists are to biology. Those, who do not understand monetary sovereignty, do not understand economics. Cutting the federal deficit is the most ignorant and damaging step the federal government could take. It ranks ahead of the Hawley-Smoot Tariff.
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Who are these people who want to arrest and deport all undocumented non-citizens, as well as repeal the law that gives citizenship to everyone born here?

Who are these people who want to prevent a Muslim mosque two blocks distant from ground zero?

Who are these people who wish to repeal health care insurance for millions of people who otherwise could not afford to pay?

Who are these people who want to prevent gays from having the same marriage benefits as straights? Who are these people who want to continue the humiliating ‘Don’t ask; don’t tell” military policy? Who are these people who ordered the Pentagon to send a questionnaire asking soldiers their opinions about serving with gays and lesbians.

Asking soldiers their opinions??? Is this the way the army now is run? By survey? What next, a questionnaire asking, “How do you feel about being sent to Afghanistan and getting blown up by a roadside bomb?” Or perhaps, “How do you feel about taking orders you don’t like?” Will military policy be dictated by the answers?

One of the questions in the survey is, “If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and you are assigned to bathroom facilities with an open bay shower that someone you believe to be a gay or lesbian Service member also used, which are you most likely to do?” What if instead of “gay and lesbian,” we substitute the word “black,” would that be appropriate? Or how about, “Muslim”? Good idea?

Who are these people who wrap themselves in the American flag, but have forgotten the words on the Statue of Liberty? Who are these people who wave their piety in your face, but deny the basic tenets of their religion and indeed, all religions?

The bigotry in America has ramped up. When economic times are bad, the devils and the saints show their true colors. You can tell the merit of people by the way they act in a life boat. Now that we share life boat America, listen to what is being said and look at what is being done, and ask yourself: “Who are these people?

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
http://www.rodgermitchell.com

No nation can tax itself into prosperity. Those who say the stimulus “didn’t work” remind me of the guy whose house is on fire. A neighbor runs with a garden hose and starts spraying, but the fire continues. The neighbor wants to call the fire department, which would bring the big hoses, but the guy says, “Don’t call. As you can see, water doesn’t put out fires.”

-Health care for undocumented aliens

An alternative to popular faith


       President Obama assures us his health care plan would not cover undocumented aliens. While that statement is untrue, it cheered Democrats, who want to pass a health-care bill – any health care bill.
      Republican Representative Dean Heller said, “Congress should do everything within its power to curb abuse. Requiring citizenship verification for enrollment would ensure only citizens and legal residents receive taxpayer funded healthcare,” which cheered Republicans, who use the law and citizenship as excuses to exercise xenophobia.
       When Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, agree on a major principle, we all need to tremble. Here are some thoughts on this frightening situation:
      Despite all the claims, no one knows how many undocumented aliens reside in America. Depending on whom you believe, the number could be anywhere between 12 million and 70 million – from 3% of the U.S. population to 17%.
      Despite all the claims, no one knows how much income tax, Medicare tax, Social Security tax, sales tax, property tax and all other taxes they pay. Some right-wingers claim the undocumenteds pay no taxes, which is ridiculous on the face of it. No sales or property taxes? No income, Social Security or Medicare taxes withheld from their paychecks? No excise taxes, like gasoline tax? Please let me know their secret. We all might like to try it. Many undocumented aliens pay taxes out of deportation fear. Many pay out of a sense of obligation and morality. Many pay for many reasons.
      Despite all the claims, no one knows the degree to which undocumented aliens may “steal” jobs from American citizens. Usually the jobs in question are at the low end. We don’t hear doctors or lawyers complaining that undocumented aliens have stolen their jobs. Who does most of the low-end jobs in America? Disproportionately, blacks (aka African Americans) and Latinos (aka Mexican Americans). Who are the complainers? Mostly the right-wing whites, who wouldn’t take those jobs under any circumstances.
       Despite all the claims, no one knows the net economic contribution made by undocumented aliens. Conservatives claim it’s very little. Liberals tell us about all the industries that depend on undocumented aliens.
      So, despite much heat, shouting and claims, no one knows the fundamental facts of this debate. It’s like arguing religion. Everyone believes strongly, but no one has facts.
      We do know this, however. When undocumented aliens don’t have insurance, they use emergency rooms, for which we citizens pay, or they get sick and become a burden on society, for which we also pay.
      We know that people who pay tax are entitled to government services. So to deprive all undocumented aliens of federal support is unconscionable and may be unconstitutional.
      We know undocumented aliens are not going home. They will be here with us until they die, as will their children and their children’s children. Of course many of these children, and most of the children’s children will be born-in-the-U.S.A. citizens. Shall we deny these American children health care? Shall we deport their parents?
      We know undocumented aliens are people. They have families. They love each other and they love God. They go to churches. They build; they clean; they bathe; they plant; they reap; they eat. They have hopes and fears and pride and regrets. They care. They mourn. They are very much like you and me, except fate has not given them that piece of paper we were so fortunate to have received, most of us merely by the accident of being born in the right place. They are not monsters or criminals, any more than we are.
      Most right wingers are Christians. Are we naive to expect Christians to be more Christian toward their fellow human beings?
      We don’t know what President Obama really believes. He’s a politician. But it is sad to see a President pander to the xenophobes who espouse hatred of a minority, under the guise of law, especially when there is so much we don’t know.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
For more information, see http://www.rodgermitchell.com