Open Thread - Wed. July 13, 2016 - Cutting Expenditures for the Social Safety Net
Good Morning 99%'ers. Today's Open Thread topic in another in the series on neo-liberalism. For those who may be interested in previous essays on this subject, here are the links to those essays.
Week 1 - The Curse of Neo-liberalism
Week 2 - Neo-liberalism Part 2
Week 3 - The Neo-liberal Myth of Meritocracy
Week 4 - Characteristics of Neo-liberalism
Week 5 - Neo-liberalism - Obama and the Clintons
Week 6 - Neo-liberalism - The Legacy of Bill Clinton
Week 7 - Neo-liberalism - Lack of Empathy
Week 8 - Overview of the Impacts of Privatization
Week 9 - The Rule of the Market
Week 10 - Effects of the Neo-liberal Push for Deregulation
In 2004, Henry Giroux wrote the following about neo-liberalism.
Under neoliberalism, the state now makes a grim alignment with corporate capital and transnational corporations. Gone are the days when the state assumed responsibility for a range of social needs. Instead, agencies of government now pursues a wide range of deregulations, privatizations, and abdications of responsibility to the market and private philanthropy. Deregulation, in turn, promotes widespread, systematic disinvestment in the nation's basic productive capacity. Flexible production encourages wage slavery and disposable populations at home. And the search for ever greater profits leads to outsourcing which accentuates the flight of capital and jobs abroad. Neoliberalism has now become the prevailing logic in the United States, and according to Stanley Aronowitz ...the neoliberal economic doctrine proclaiming the superiority of free markets over public ownership, or even public regulation of private economic activities, has become the conventional wisdom, not only among conservatives but among social progressives.
In one of my first essays in this series on neo-liberalism, I referenced an excellent article titled What is Neoliberalism? This article was written by Elizabeth Martinez and Arnoldo Garcia and published by Corp Watch. This article provided an excellent definition of neo-liberalism as well as a listing of the five characteristics of neo-liberalism. Among the five characteristics of neo-liberalism is the cutting of public expenditures for social services and reducing the safety net for the poor.
CUTTING PUBLIC EXPENDITURES FOR SOCIAL SERVICES like education and health care. REDUCING THE SAFETY-NET FOR THE POOR, and even maintenance of roads, bridges, water supply -- again in the name of reducing government's role. Of course, they don't oppose government subsidies and tax benefits for business.
Today's essay will focus upon the neo-liberal goal of reducing the social safety net.
We all remember Ronald Reagan's characterization of those who rely upon the social safety net as being "welfare queens" Reagan planted the seed that the social safety net was being gamed by lazy people. But it took a Democrat to actually get significant legislation passed to start shredding the social safety net. Bill Clinton pushed through and signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 that "ended welfare as we know it." What this bill did was shred the social safety net that had kept many poor families afloat. And thus began the neo-liberal assault upon the social safety net.
The neo-liberal emphasis upon market based solutions to all social problems has led to a disinvestment in people in favor of letting the market dictate solutions. This means a dismantling of the social safety net and the commodification of government programs and services such as education and infrastructure. This lack of investment in people by our government has resulted in a form of social Darwinism in which a few at the top are becoming increasingly wealthy while the majority of people are losing ground. Income and wealth inequality in the United States is the highest among developed nations. Our once robust middle class is rapidly shrinking and now more and more people are falling into poverty with little or no hope of recovering their once middle class status.
The OECD report finds that the richest 10 percent of American households earns about 28 percent of the overall income pie. This is a lot, but it's roughly consistent with what you see in the world's other rich countries.
By contrast, the wealthiest 10 percent of U.S. households have captured a whopping 76 percent of all the wealth in America. And that number is considerably higher than in other rich nations...
What prevents people from falling into abject poverty is a robust social safety net. Studies by the United Nations have shown that countries with a strong social safety net rank highest in the quality of human life as measured by the "happiness index."
Across the Western world, the quality of human life increases as the size of the state increases. It turns out that having a "nanny" makes life better for people. This is borne out by the U.N. 2013 "World Happiness Report," which found Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden the top five happiest nations.
Neo-liberals have been pushing for decades to weaken and eliminate many of these programs, citing them as being inefficient and failing to lift people out of poverty. However, a recent study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has shown that, in fact, programs under the social safety net have actually exceeded expectations of effectiveness.
“The safety net reduced the poverty rate from 29.1 percent to 13.8 percent in 2012 and lifted 48 million people above the poverty line, including 12 million children,” they write. “Correcting for under reporting reveals that the safety net also did more to reduce deep poverty than previously shown, although 11.2 million Americans remained below half the poverty line.”
Social Security is the most effective program when it comes to raising annual incomes above the poverty line. The generations-old program, designed to keep retirees from living in need, kept 27.4 million Americans above the poverty line in 2012.
I am only scratching the surface with this essay today, but I want to close it with another quote from Henry Giroux. This one is from 2014, ten years later than the quote above that opened this essay.
Modernity has reneged on its undertaking to fulfill the social contract, however disingenuous or limited, especially with regards to young people. Long-term planning and the institutional structures that support them are now weakened, if not eliminated, by the urgencies of privatization, deregulation, flexibility and short-term investments. Social bonds have given way under the collapse of social protections and the welfare state and are further weakened by the neoliberal insistence that there are only "individual solutions to socially produced problems."
Neoliberalism’s disposability machine is relentlessly engaged in the production of an unchecked notion of individualism that both dissolves social bonds and removes any viable notion of agency from the landscape of social responsibility and ethical considerations.
Today, I am sad. The neo-liberals won again yesterday and continue to win in a system that is rigged to allow them to win. Neo-liberalism is more than an economic ideology. It is also a social ideology that places the markets and those chosen by meritocracy above the rest of humanity. When will the human misery inflicted by the neo-liberal ideology ever end?
As always, this is an Open Thread so feel free to post or discuss whatever is on your mind.
Comments
Carry on...
Once again, I pushed the wrong button when I went to edit. Brain fart...
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I know mild to moderate depression manifests in many
as hypersensitivity to discouragements. At least it has for me in the past. We have certainly had a share of those, one after the other.
I get to do more gymnastics today to attempt to return a form requiring another signature to be acceptable: I forgot (unaware) that I had to add/subtract a check in a box on Section 5 that I thought I did not have to use. Typical confusion for dummies, which is most of us. FSM help me.
Another drought day here. Last training session in Puppy I obedience. We will fail, although progress is being made. Peace on!
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
oh, forgot a rant. War on teachers v.666
Two days ago an expose type headlining article appeared in the Ithaca Journal about the % of the school budget for retirement funds. Sound familiar? It is not that much (pie charts were given) but is certainly a battle salvo from neo's. We have a very effective school system for many kids (ranked), but when the school budget is broken out as budget/student the cost approaches $20K. So my school taxes (in NY a separate tax bill) pays for about 1/3 student. I gulp and pay and hope I picked a successful student.
College town, but now it starts.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Education is the most visible
way neo-liberalism is fleecing us, both monetarily and socially. I would love it if someone who is in the field of education would write an essay on it.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Even with the corporate-friendly governments we've had
since Carter - and corporate-friendly is way too mild a description - the USA has plenty of tax dollars to lift everyone out of poverty and end homelessness. The key to this is ending the endless wars and cutting the defense establishment - Defense Dept; Dept of Energy; Munitions makers - by 75%. Obama has spent more on acquiring nuclear bombs than his recent predecessors and maintains a grossly bloated officer corps that oversees an army, navy and air force increasingly made up of mercenaries. When will Too Much be ended?
The Corporate/Military/Finance/Media/Intelligence sector has control over the government, and with Sanders' capitulation, it looks like it will be thus for the near term at least.
We can look forward to dirtier water and air; the oceans being ruined even as they rise; the 1% owning more and more of the income and wealth; Social Security being opened to corporations who will skim tax dollars for private gain as they lower pensions, abrogating the workers' contracts.
The USA spends 18% of its GDP on health insurance and health care which is much more than any industrialized nation. It's an easy problem to solve: Just copy Canada; but that's people-friendly, not Wealther-friendly, so the neoliberals won't even consider it.
All the above, and much more, is taking place even as polls show the unpopularity of these actions. The average person truly doesn't count and electoral politics has become a sham.
The neoliberals go where the money is; the people need to figure a way to do the same; and the money for the people is available through taxation of the ultra-rich and the military. And, the USA would be a much better place if that were to happen.
I look forward to your diaries: They are important, accurate, and well written. Thanks again.
"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"
Great comment
as always! Your comments are very insightful. Thank you too.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
In a country that creates its' own currency....
Taxes do not fund the sovereign currency issuer.
Just as the card players do not fund the card dealer.
The dollars we use to pay taxes comes from government spending. We do not issue our national currency when we pay taxes. Rather, the government issues (by spending) the dollars we use to pay taxes - and/or invest in treasury bonds.
Progressives need to get their flow of funds right side up:
1) The government creates dollars on a computer key board, and can never run out of key strokes.
2) To get dollars from the government sector into the private sector, it must buy stuff from the private sector (or make grants) so it can mark up private bank accounts using a computer key board.
3) Now the private sector has dollars.
4) Now the private sector has dollars with which it can both pay taxes and/or invest in treasury bonds.
Even China must first earn dollars before it can invest in treasury bonds, which are simply savings accounts at our central bank.
Government Spending = National Net Income - Taxes - Private Bank Debt - Foreign Trade
Government "Debt" = Private Savings
The government can afford both a huge military and free education, as it can always afford anything denominated in its' own unit of account, the dollar, because it simply creates dollars out of thin air.
The only constraint on government spending is inflation and the availability of real resources.
It does not rely upon tax collection to fund its' spending.
Rather, we rely upon government spending for our ability to pay taxes.
Everything is paid for either by government spending or bank lending. What government doesn't fund, must be funded by private bank debt.
Banks too create money out of thin air because they simply enter numbers on a computer key board when they mark up your account when you take out a loan.
Progressives need to think in terms of the distribution of money before they go on to thin about the redistribution of money, as distribution comes before redistribution. Otherwise we fall into the neoliberal trap of thinking that money is, or might be, in short supply. Rather than thinking of money for what it is: Numbers. An abstraction. Our own creation regulated by laws, which we also create, and thus can create to serve us rather than assuming we need to serve it.
The belief that humans need to serve money is foundational to the neoliberal project - which moves power from the domain of democracy to the domain of economics, ie, the "natural laws" of money over which we have little control.
Money is our creation, and who creates it, how its' created, and for whom or what it is created is regulated by laws which we create.
I'll say. They are "important, accurate and well-written"
Gulfgal, you should self-publish this series - I'm not kidding. It's like reading a modern Thomas Paine.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Yes! This series is really very good.
Outstanding! Useful! Definitely worth publishing.
Thank you
You are very kind, but my only intent is simply to post these essays here.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thank you
Coming from you, I am truly humbled.
Actually, I read others and try to compile their insights into my essays.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Slightly off-topic
Could someone point me towards some good resources like books or websites about how to set up a non-profit? A friend and I have a really good concept that addresses food waste and feeding the hungry that we would like to set up but have no knowlege about how to go about it or what's involved. I've done a lot of research and I am not finding anything similar to our concept anywhere in this field of philanthropy.
I have decided to devote more energy to working towards solving some of our more pressing societal problems outside of our corrupted political system.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Great idea!
First, nothing is off topic in an Open Thread! Key words here are Open Thread.
This is where I hope we will be heading. I hope you will write an essay on this and maybe we can start moving toward finding workable solutions outside our corrupted political system.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Beautiful, people before politicians! :D
We have always been anti-war and anti-hunger in my house. Family has their own charities they volunteer with on a weekly basis. It's important for us to focus on energy on the solutions which means getting out into the world, the neighborhood.
You have three cheers from me. Good luck.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
This looks like a good Web site:
http://grantspace.org/tools/knowledge-base/Nonprofit-Management/Establis...
God's Pantry in KY may be doing something similar; they are part of Feeding America nationally. See https://www.godspantry.org/work/
Good luck!
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
I doubt this is the right place for this, but here's a tweet ...
Wow!
This is amazing. People are fed up with business as usual and are ready to try anything, even Trump. All the blame can be placed directly at the feet of the corrupt Democratic party establishment.
Thank you for sharing!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Rachel Maddow wins prize for cherrypicking
Give Rachel Maddow the prize for cherrypicking poll results, on last night's show.
Trump losing bigly among college educated voters: Poll
She also claimed that Hillary's verbal statement on the TPP yesterday was better than a written commitment in the platform (that Hillary's representatives on the platform committee voted against) saying the Democratic Party opposes TPP.
"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."
When I used to listen to Maddow on Air America
Radio, I never imagined she'd be the sort to drink the Kool Ade.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
Huge piles of money will do that to anyone.
I used to listen to her on KPOJ portland just before she got the M$NBC gig, and that Maddow wouldn't agree on much with this Maddow.
Brexit Profiteers
The Dow and the S&P 500 both closed at record highs this week. Therefore, when stock prices were tumbling following the Brexit vote, someone was, as they say, making a killing buying at bargain prices. With my tin foil hat on it seems that pre-vote, a clever but evil person would have been shouting from the rooftops about the coming crash while planning what to buy.
Now interviewing signature candidates. Apply within.
It may be the case
of exactly what happened. There was a lot screaming about how Brexit would be horrible for the Brits, but Britain never adopted the euro, so I was wondering how that would work. I hope someone here may be able to explain it other than speculation and profit taking by big money.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Cameron gone now
in a way it's good for him. Now he can spend more time at home with his pig's head.
Do you know how George Soros first became a billionaire?
The banks are going to punish the Brits, severely. There's going to be money made from this for quite some time to come.
I think, and I'm far from sure, that they will delay invoking article 50 as long as possible. The uncertainty keeps the money moving and once it's done the actual accounting starts, and the profits fall into line.
Not-confirmed enough for me, yet
Comey was a non-executive director at HSBC while also being FBI director. More confirmation to come. Does anyone else see the tie to Brexit? LIBOR, already, money-laundering already. I had direct-deposit with them before they withdrew from much US banking. Still have small funds in Canada with them (HSBC), fee-ed to death.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
That is certainly interesting - thanks
As to "fee'd to death" banks now earn more money from fees than from loans.
"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"
More follow-up , press release from HSBC
James Brien Comey, Jr. (52), former United States Deputy Attorney General, has been appointed a Director of HSBC Holdings plc with effect from 4 March 2013. He will be an independent non-executive Director and a member of the Financial System Vulnerabilities Committee.
James Comey
James Comey
Jim Comey is a Senior Research Scholar and Hertog Fellow on National Security Law at Columbia University Law School in New York. From 2010 to 2013, he was General Counsel of Bridgewater Associates, LP and, from 2005 to 2010, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. From 2003 to 2005, he served as United States Deputy Attorney General and was responsible for supervising the operations of the Department of Justice and chaired the President’s Corporate Fraud Task Force. From 2002 to 2003, Mr. Comey was United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and supervised the prosecution of executives on fraud and securities related charges and created a specialised unit to prosecute international drug cartels.
Commenting on the appointment, HSBC Group Chairman Douglas Flint said: “We are delighted to welcome Jim as a non-executive Director and a member of our new Financial System Vulnerabilities Committee. His experience and expertise gained from both public and private sector roles at the highest level will add a further dimension to the governance capabilities of the Board.”
Mr. Comey’s appointment will be for an initial three-year term which, subject to re-election by shareholders, will expire at the conclusion of the 2016 Annual General Meeting. The Directors have determined that Mr. Comey is independent. In making that determination the Directors concluded that there are no relationships or circumstances which are likely to affect Mr. Comey’s judgement and any relationships or circumstances which could appear to do so were not considered to be material.
For and on behalf of
HSBC Holdings plc
R G Barber
Group Company Secretary
Supplementary information:
As a non-executive Director Mr. Comey will not have a service contract with HSBC Holdings plc. He will be paid a Director’s fee of £95,000 per annum, as authorised by shareholders at the 2011 Annual General Meeting. Mr. Comey will also receive a fee of £30,000 per annum as a member of the Financial System Vulnerabilities Committee as approved by the Directors in January 2013.
Mr. Comey does not have any interests in the shares of HSBC Holdings plc within the meaning of Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance.
No shareholder is entitled to exercise or control the exercise of 10% or more of the voting power at any general meeting of the Company.
There are no matters relating to the appointment of Mr. Comey that need to be disclosed pursuant to Listing Rule 9.6.13(2) to (6) of the Listing Rules of the Financial Services Authority. Save as disclosed above there is no other information required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 13.51(2) of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange of the Hong Kong Limited.
Media enquiries to:
Heidi Ashley
+44 (0) 20 7992 2045
heidi.ashley@hsbc.com
Note to editors:
1. Brief biography of Mr. James Comey (B.S., J.D.)
Mr. Comey is a Senior Research Scholar and Hertog Fellow on National Security Law at Columbia University Law School in New York. He recently stepped down as General Counsel of Bridgewater Associates, LP and was, from 2005 to 2010, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Comey served as United States Deputy Attorney General and was responsible for supervising the operations of the Department of Justice and chaired the President’s Corporate Fraud Task Force.
Prior to becoming United States Deputy Attorney General, Mr. Comey was United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. From 1996 to 2001, Mr. Comey served as Managing Assistant United States Attorney in charge of the Richmond Division of the United States Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia. He is married with 5 children and lives in the USA.
2. The Board of Directors of HSBC Holdings plc as at the date of this announcement is:
D J Flint, S T Gulliver, S A Catz†, L M L Cha†, M K T Cheung†, J D Coombe†, J Faber†, R A Fairhead†, R Fassbind†, J W J Hughes-Hallett†, W S H Laidlaw†, J P Lipsky†, J R Lomax†, I J Mackay, Sir Simon Robertson† and J L Thornton†.
† Independent non-executive Director
3. HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 6,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,721bn at 30 September 2012, the HSBC Group is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.
Read the media release.
Related content
Irene Dorner appointed Group Managing Director
21 Jan 2013
The Board of HSBC Holdings plc has appointed Irene Dorner (58), President…
Senior management appointments
03 Dec 2012
HSBC Holdings plc announces that Paul Thurston will retire as a Group…
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+44(0) 20 7991 8096
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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
That's telling
No wonder the foundation isn't seeing the light of day!
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/10/hillary-clinton-foundati...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I thought of you when I saw this, gg98.
Neoliberalism is an Anglo-American project and it's on the offensive around the world.
Defend Democracy Press
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Thanks for that link, I read 3/4 of the article
and found it very interesting and helpful. Wished they would have gone in more detail about Germany's role in "Euroliberalism". They went into detail about France, which I thought was very good. I don't see a critical look at Germany. It seems it never goes beyond a critical outcry over Schaueble. I am pretty nervous about the future of Germany's relation towards the East European countries and the tension evolving between what's left of the EU at this stage and US/ NATO/Great Britain.
Devastating!
Is there any hope for mankind in the face of this amoral ideology?
Thank you for sharing this.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
new candidate for prez
Good morning, gg, and all. Thank you for this series, gulfgal. And, the open thread. Although it's open, I still feel off topic with this, but it caught my eye. He sure is impressive. He did such a great job talking to us all. I'd vote for him before Hillary, that's for sure.
I woke with this in my head
thought I would share it for what it's worth (I just can't focus on the neolibs this morning, but I appreciate your writing about them ,gg)
We're alright.
Paul Simon - American Tune
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3_qyWU3-qQ]
Manys the time Ive been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and I've often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh, but Im alright, Im alright, Im just weary to my bones
Still, you dont expect to be bright and bon vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home
I dont know a soul whos not been battered
Dont have a friend who feels at ease
I dont know a dream thats not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Aah, but we're alright, we're alright, we lived so well an' so long
Still, when I think of the road were traveling on
I wonder whats gone wrong, cant help but wonder whats gone wrong
And I dreamed I was dyin'
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
I dreamed I was flying
High up above my eyes could clearly see
The statue of liberty sailin' away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying
We come on the ship they call 'The Mayflower'
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the ages most uncertain hour
And sing an American tune
Oh, and its alright, its alright, its alright you cant be forever blessed
Still, tomorrows gotta be another working day
And Im tryin' to get some rest, thats all Im tryin' to get some rest
I also thought I would slip this in from a comment here yesterday that folks might have missed.
And finally a bit of good news for those in Georgia, The Green Party will be on the ballot! From local news in my neighboring county: http://chattooga.allongeorgia.com/georgia-will-have-a-green-party-candid...
All the best to all of you!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I was going to write in Bernie, but I might have
to vote Green.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
California naked capitalism - CalPERS
Did y'all talk about this already, maybe it was in Evening Blues? Piling on. OC Register: CalPERS Expected to Show Multi-Billion Loss for Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2016
more snippings:
Their bold not mine, on topic:
I still can't understand how institutions are permitted to promise retirement security, and then not fund it, and then yank it completely when people are old and powerless, after years of deductions toward what now? That sounds criminal to me. It is so granny-in-the-ditch but hey for me... that's California!
Chill time.
NP: Climax Blues Band - Crazy World
My brother is on this system.
It worries me.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
PERS/STRS and CalPERS paid for my first house over
the two years I worked on their systems. I frequently say that if people had any idea... well here's Henry:
Good Morning, gulfgal, you are a treasure or better your
Neo-Liberalism series is.
Have a good day. If you are sad, you are not alone. Even Robert Scheer was a bit mad. Look at this opinion piece from truthdig. Et tu, Bernie?
So, there was no time to waste for Jill Sanders to make this statement:
Jill Stein Slams Bernie Sanders for Endorsing Clinton and Invites His Followers to Join Her (Video) - Posted on Jul 13, 2016.
I don't use facebook, so I can't share the video here, but it's good to have a look at it.
And looky here, who else is a little "unhappy":
Jeb Bush, I can't vote for Trump and I can't vote for Hillary Clinton
There is a video clip from MSNBC in it that I can't embed here. It's from a German paper, I don't repsect, but the video is the original form MSNBC in there and I found it - let's say - a bit amusing.
Have a good day, all.
Thanks Mimi!
I am catching up on the posts as I have been in and out all morning. If Trump is the nominee, I believe that Jeb! will vote for Clinton. The two families are close (bush and Clinton) and Jeb! is a neo-liberal. There is very little difference between Hillary and Jeb.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
In 2008,
the State of Florida State Board of Administration which includes the retirement system which covers not only state employees, but county employees and employees of the school systems, lost $62 billion in the financial meltdown.
Edit: This was intended to be in reply to eyo above. I hit the wrong reply key again.
Duh!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Neighbor is Teamster just under 5 years til pension
Driving for UPS most his life and so observed what happened to Central States fund with mild interest. Here's a blog puts it simply
Kenneth Feinberg to Oversee Cuts to Pension Benefits
Okay! A star is born thanks I feel so much better now. Plus there are also 1400 funds or so that are in good shape we think probably maybe.
So sarcastic it ain't funny.
Peace & Love
Culling The Herd
I'm reminded of a movie entitled Abandon Ship, starring Tyrone Power. A disaster befalls a passenger ship, and sinks rapidly. A few survivors gather aboard what seems to be the only lifeboat launched, no distress call was sent, and a storm is brewing. The only solution is to sacrifice some to provide a chance at rescue for the others. It can be a hard story to watch at times.
So what does this have to do with real-life? We the People are being presented with an overloaded lifeboat (Earth), no distress call can be issued for no one can rescue us, and many storms are brewing (not the least of which are climate change and a potential global war). For some to survive (the economic elites in particular), the rest of us must be sacrificed, beginning with the weak and the infirm. What assets are secured from denying them to those to be sacrificed will go entirely toward the waging of war, as the goal is to deliver control of the entire world to elitists. There is no limit to who goes over the side, as long as those who do the deciding live and retain control.
Just look at how much money is expended for those who our neo-Spartans would abandon on the hillsides:
The neo-Spartans have to make do with "ONLY" 18 percent of the Federal budget for their wars of aggression, when almost twice that is spent on the "useless eaters" through Social Security, unemployment, and whatever constitutes "Labor" on this chart. An amount larger than the war budget also goes to keeping the elderly and infirm alive, when for the good of Neo-Sparta they should just die and decrease the surplus population.
We the People let this monster out, and there is no reason to believe it can again be caged without serious damage of a magnitude we can barely imagine. Especially not when those "commanding" our lifeboat believe that putting a hole in the hull will let the accumulating water out faster.
Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.
Bernie always said he'd support Hill to fight Trump
if she won the nomination.
It's like a huge number of Bernie supporters have excessive ear wax buildup and need reading glasses.
Sick and tired of reading crap that either explicitly states or implies that Sanders hasn't always held the position of "never Trump".
This attitude will, once again, lead the left to eat its' own and continue to loose - over and over again. Far from Bernie having "betrayed" his "followers", his supporters are betraying not only Sanders, but themselves.
Good morning, gg!
This is such a terrific series. I've missed a couple of episodes, but like that you provide the links so I can go back.
This whole neoliberalism just pisses me off. I don't know what else to say - we have been railroaded by the elite! We must fight back. I believe Bernie is going to continue the fight in the best way he can. The primary was stolen from him, so now it is up to us to make EVERYONE accountable to we, the people. Can we do it?
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Clinton's National Lead Over Trump Shrinks From 9 to 3 Points
Clinton's National Lead Over Trump Shrinks From 9 Points To 3 In New Poll
Can a 3-point "lead" even be called that when the margin or error is plus or minus 3 percent?
"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."
One minor detail - We will fund "social services" like
abstinence based sex ed if we can pay churches to do it. A rant follows:
WJC's Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) aka welfare reform cut welfare for humans such as ADFC, and crated welfare for churches via its "Charitable Choice" provisions. [ Charitable choice refers to direct United States government funding of religious organizations to provide social services. Created in 1996, charitable choice allows government officials to purchase services from religious providers using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Welfare-to-Work, and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds. -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charitable_choice ]
This inspired GWB to create the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) by executive order on 1/29/ 2001.
Billions were spent on such public services as abstinence only sex ed, wherein nothing whatsoever was taught about reproduction, the reproductive system, sex, sexuality, contraception and the like, but kids were indoctrinated with assorted faith based claptrap.
President Barack Obama renamed the office as the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He also expanded it and its role in government.
The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships coordinates Centers for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in various federal agencies. (per their website) These centers are tasked with finding functions within their parent agencies that can serve as justifications for "Partnering" with religious groups - ie. throwing money at them to perform something that government should do instead.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Excellent comment!
It is good to learn how these things are used to divert money away from individuals (real human beings) and into the coffers of corporations and organizations. Thanks for sharing this.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Catholic Charities wing of CA state government
I don't know about the rest of the country except what the wiki says:
Hm six years ago I think it has ballooned since Brown and the D lobbyists took control: Recovery for me, not for thee. "That's the system."
Thanks for that post EL, thanks a lot. Religion is not opportunity, sorry. Education = Debt so that's out. It is just like Harvey predicted the US becoming a nation of welfare recipients and Rockefeller assholes with nothing in the middle.
Peace & Love