Monday, August 17, 2020

Ways that We Could Have an Honest Election

 What's most important is that Biden not concede the race until every last ballot is counted. Gore caved in way too early. I was furious, and so were most of the black representatives who strode out angrily during his concession speech. I was watching it on C-SPAN at the time. And, as it turned out, when all the votes were counted, Gore had actually won. By then it was too late. I have had no respect for that man ever since. There's nothing he could do to redeem himself in my eyes. He let down his supporters and people who voted for him in a travesty of an election.


This is a terrific opportunity to give temporary employees work; just turn out a large force of people to count the ballots. Heh, this is not rocket science. We can do this, even if the Democrats can't get taxpayer money because of Trump's opposition (and refusal to allow emergency funds for the post office), and the Republican's foolish lockstep adherence to his wishes, then let's find another way to give ourselves an honest election. Mitch McConnell deserves a great deal of the blame for this legislative paralysis. 

If there are any billionaires out there, or even corporations, who are not part of the parasite class who always, always, always cheat the common person, don't pay their taxes, and exploit "the masses", then this is the time to step up and fund an honest election. I want to see action. I don't care what you say. Put your money behind your mouth and I'll believe you.

If a large corporation or extremely wealthy individual were to fund the post office and pay for temporary employees to vote the count, I cannot think of a better public relations move. And maybe just maybe, in a nod to Black Lives Matter, those temporary employees could be all black for a change.

Alternatively, if the Democratic Party were sincere, then they could start a go-fund me account to raise the money for this. Personally, I'm a Green. After Gore caved, I understood that it was one ruling party, the duopoly that changes faces on occasion, but remains the same in waging ridiculous wars and keeping the working force under. Democrats and Republicans are in collusion, and voting has been a farce, and we've already had corrupted elections. Frankly, I don't expect much from Biden/Harris, although I think Harris is more of an unknown factor, and that she could evolve in office into a powerhouse force for women, working people, and retirees.

I'm retired myself, living on limited Social Security income. Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to cut Social Security. I fail to see why any senior would vote for him because he most certainly would do that in a second term. It's not even on the agenda for Democrats to destroy Social Security, so I think I will be better off with them. Besides I am so tired of seeing his ugly, angry face all the time on the news. And I've had it with lies. I can't even listen to him for more than a minute, that's how averse I've come to the thug.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lisa for Maine: Volunteer Voices - Ginny Schneider

Lisa for Maine: Volunteer Voices - Ginny Schneider

Maine has ranked choice voting, and is a leader politically in this respect. It makes it possible for a third party candidate or independent to win an election. This is a game changer to invigorate our democracy, so voters are no longer faced with the grim choice of voting for the lesser of two evils in our duopoly. It makes it possible for Lisa Savage, a peace activist, to run for Senator of Maine and win as the popular voice of the people.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Analyzing factors in the rise of China

I just read this article by F. William Engdahl, "China's Hidden Economic Time Bomb." No doubt there will be consequences to the one child only policy in China; however, I question some of this analysis. For one thing, I consider it a good thing that car sales are slowing. If everyone in China has a car, that's going to fuel intense competition for limited oil resources. China is also investing in mass public transportation, and that is a far better solution than selling more cars.
Without any reliable population data, it is really impossible to get a good sense of what's happening in China. I know that in the countryside, girls were still being born to families, and despite the government policy of one child only, there were very few families who adhered to this stricture. They just didn't report the birth of girls or more than one child in the family to avoid the tax burden and fines for having more than one child.
These "stateless" children, both boys and girls, receive no benefits from the state. Some attended school under the name of another child who had died. There were stratagems to get around government policy.
China can give these children official status and carry out a true count of the population. Children will have better access to education, and training programs will no doubt spring up across the undeveloped west that is rapidly being connected with the more developed eastern and coastal areas through an extensive new railroad network that has been under construction for several years.
If you remember the great economic impact of the construction of the transcontinental railway across the United States, it is too soon to consider China's economic miracle on the wane.
China has also undertaken a massive effort to provide higher education for its young people. I taught in one of these newly built universities. And there has been a mighty push for all Chinese children to learn English. We haven't begun to see the opportunities this opens up for China in world trade, as well as in the fields of science, technology, and the arts. China will benefit greatly from a better educated populace.
Another factor is retirement age of older people. Today in China retirement age is 50 years for most women, and 55 years for most men. China could implement policies to extend the retirement age, and that can give it a greater work force as well, at least long enough to implement other policies.
Actually the U.S. is China's greatest single market, and the trade war Trump has been waging against China probably accounts for the slowdown this year. However, corruption continues in China; it has always been a part of the culture. Corruption waxes and wanes over the centuries, but never goes away completely. And that is also a factor on the negative side that could slow down economic growth.
After living in China for four years from 2007 to 2011, I have been reading extensively about it, and studying the politics, history and culture of China. My interest in this great country was awakened by living there, and although it's true that I have a love/hate relationship with China, just like I do with my own country (albeit for different reasons), I know that it is quite difficult for even China experts in the West to get a fully accurate sense of what is happening in China.