USA News and Discussions

Vakanai
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Re: USA News and Discussions

Post by Vakanai »

caltrek wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 9:48 pm
Xyls wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 9:26 pm Biden making some very dumb remarks:

Biden Calls Inflation Numbers ‘Out of Date.’ Americans Disagree

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ium-canada

This is the kind of remark that could get the Democrats pulverized in the mid-terms.
Interesting map included with the article. It shows "Where Prices are Rising the Fastest" in the United States. States with the lowest rise in inflation:

New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. All blue (or purple) states.

States with the highest rise in inflation?

Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Missouri. (All red states).

So, I am not sure it is the Democrats who have the most to fear from the bad inflation news. Especially when you take into account that California is actually in the process of issuing tax rebate checks in recognition of the painful effects of inflation in their states. Hopefully, other blue states flushed with high tax revenues due to a full employment economy, will do the same.

But yes, Biden was a little tone deaf in his remarks. In any case, we need somebody who can better frame the issues debate in 2024.
Unfortunately most Americans unrealistically put the economy on the president, not on their state representatives.
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caltrek
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Re: USA News and Discussions

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Vakanai wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:30 am
caltrek wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 9:48 pm
Xyls wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 9:26 pm Biden making some very dumb remarks:

Biden Calls Inflation Numbers ‘Out of Date.’ Americans Disagree

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ium-canada

This is the kind of remark that could get the Democrats pulverized in the mid-terms.
Interesting map included with the article. It shows "Where Prices are Rising the Fastest" in the United States. States with the lowest rise in inflation:

New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. All blue (or purple) states.

States with the highest rise in inflation?

Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Missouri. (All red states).

So, I am not sure it is the Democrats who have the most to fear from the bad inflation news. Especially when you take into account that California is actually in the process of issuing tax rebate checks in recognition of the painful effects of inflation in their states. Hopefully, other blue states flushed with high tax revenues due to a full employment economy, will do the same.

But yes, Biden was a little tone deaf in his remarks. In any case, we need somebody who can better frame the issues debate in 2024.
Unfortunately most Americans unrealistically put the economy on the president, not on their state representatives.
When they are voting for president. If things are going rough, that can be hard on all incumbents. Of course, incumbents have more resources to, as I said, frame the issues. So, yes, there will be a lot of attempts to shift the blame.

Biden will have the headlines going for him. Most people are aware that there is a war going on in the Ukraine, that there is too much inequality of wealth and power in this country, and even that extreme weather events may be adversely affecting food prices. Of course, Biden will need to be careful not to overplay his hand or appear to be tone deaf.
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caltrek
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Another issue that conservatives will try to use is that of immigration.

From Texas to Arizona, the GOP Border “Invasion” Argument Keeps Getting Crazier
by Isabela Davis
July 15, 2022

Introduction:
(Mother Jones) During a press conference on July 5, several county officials from Texas gathered to pray, read the Pledge of Allegiance, and issue a declaration stating they were under a migrant “invasion.” Among the local leaders and county judges present was the mayor of Uvalde, Don McLaughlin, who referred to the tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 children and two teachers when denouncing an “influx of pedophiles, convicted murderers, drug dealers, and gang members” and warning about “bailouts” ahead of kids returning to school.

Besides disseminating racist tropes and scapegoating migrants, they were there to pressure Governor Greg Abbott to “acknowledge the existence of an invasion on our border with Mexico and take necessary actions to preserve and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Texas.” Make no mistake: The goal here is to declare a war on migrants and justify the use of combat-like force to remove them. This is not an exaggeration. None other than Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick of Texas was explicit on Fox News: “We are being invaded and if we’re being invaded under the Constitution, I think that gives us the power to put hands on people and send them back,” he said. “We’re under attack like at Pearl Harbor.”

One of the masterminds behind the “invasion” legal argument is Ken Cuccinelli, former Virginia attorney general, and Trump’s Department of Homeland Security official. Now a senior fellow with the right-wing think tank Center for Renewing America, he’s a proponent, along with Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, of states invoking a “self-help” measure under Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 of the US Constitution. This passage states: “No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit delay.”

In other words, they argue that the federal government has failed to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect states from an invasion, and, therefore, it’s up to states to defend themselves.
Read more here: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2 ... razier/
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caltrek
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...and then there is abortion.

The House Just Passed Two Bills to Protect Access to Abortion
by Jackie Flynn Mogensen
July 15, 2022

Introduction:
(Mother Jones) Exactly three weeks after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the House of Representatives passed two bills aimed at protecting the right to abortion in the United States. Neither of the bills advanced on Friday is likely to succeed in the Senate.

One of the bills, the Women’s Health Protection Act, passed 219 to 210 with one Texas Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, voting with all House Republicans against the measure. The bill, which would legally grant medical professionals the ability to provide abortions to patients, passed in the House in September, but has been blocked in the Senate.

The other measure, the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, passed 223 to 205, would allow residents to cross state lines to seek an abortion. Three Republican House members—Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, and Fred Upton of Michigan—voted with Democrats in favor of the bill.

Although both bills appear doomed in the split Senate, they come at a time that marks just the beginning of a long battle ahead for many pro-choice health care workers, lawyers, and activists in the US. For a full breakdown of the future of abortion, don’t miss our recent reporting package in partnership with Rewire News Group: “Where Do We Go From Here?“
Read more here: https://www.motherjones.com/politics ... n-rights/
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Re: USA News and Discussions

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caltrek wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:01 pm ...and then there is abortion.

The House Just Passed Two Bills to Protect Access to Abortion
by Jackie Flynn Mogensen
July 15, 2022

Introduction:
(Mother Jones) Exactly three weeks after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the House of Representatives passed two bills aimed at protecting the right to abortion in the United States. Neither of the bills advanced on Friday is likely to succeed in the Senate.

One of the bills, the Women’s Health Protection Act, passed 219 to 210 with one Texas Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, voting with all House Republicans against the measure. The bill, which would legally grant medical professionals the ability to provide abortions to patients, passed in the House in September, but has been blocked in the Senate.

The other measure, the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, passed 223 to 205, would allow residents to cross state lines to seek an abortion. Three Republican House members—Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, and Fred Upton of Michigan—voted with Democrats in favor of the bill.

Although both bills appear doomed in the split Senate, they come at a time that marks just the beginning of a long battle ahead for many pro-choice health care workers, lawyers, and activists in the US. For a full breakdown of the future of abortion, don’t miss our recent reporting package in partnership with Rewire News Group: “Where Do We Go From Here?“
Read more here: https://www.motherjones.com/politics ... n-rights/
Fight and continue to fight for your rights wherever you are.
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caltrek
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^^^Along those lines:

After Roe’s Reversal, Founders of Women’s Health Startups Prepare for Battle
by Dominic-Madori Davis
July 16, 2022

Introduction:
(TechCrunch) Advocates and organizers had been preparing for Roe v. Wade to be overturned since the U.S. Supreme Court draft decision leaked in early May. But Nadya Okamoto, co-founder of period care company August, still felt heartbroken when the decision became official in late June.

“One of the things that always made me passionate about policy and legislative action was that it always felt so permanent,” she told TechCrunch. “For Roe to be rolled back went against many of the beliefs I had about change and social progress.”

Activists like Okamoto are now on the front lines of once again protesting for an individual’s right to an abortion. As a startup founder, Okamoto said she’s ready to use her platform and position to help educate and influence others — and she’s not alone.

Many women founders running reproductive health companies are taking battle stances as the U.S. slips into a reality worse than what existed pre-Roe. Come November, 26 states face a near-total abortion ban.

The decision to reverse Roe also paves the way for the erosion of other rights, such as those that gave the right to interracial and gay marriage.
Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/16/aft ... -battle/

Here is another article on the same theme: https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/07/roe- ... ed-states/

caltrek's comment: We need to remember that an attack against one is an attack against all.
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caltrek
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Statement Concerning the Supreme Court Overturning Roe v. Wade


Introduction:
(Women’s Foundation of Mississippi) The mission of the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi is economic security for women. We operate from a place of opportunity for women.

These principles guide our work:

• We are advocates, catalysts for transformation in the lives of women and girls, monitoring public discourse, educating, sharing information, and supporting policies to achieve meaningful change. We strive for social justice, promoting equal access to opportunity and to equity in all aspects of life. We believe in inclusiveness, embracing diversity reflective of Mississippi’s population, welcoming and valuing different perspectives and opinions. We believe in accountability, through transparency and informed, responsive use of our resources in achieving our mission. We believe in sustainability for The Women’s Foundation, through fiscal responsibility and organizational strength, stewarding resources to meet the unique needs of women and girls.

• We trust that a woman will make informed, educated decisions about her health and her family’s health. We support an individual’s right to privacy and confidentiality between herself and her health care providers. We support an individual’s right to receive medically accurate information from medical professionals and in public schools; we align ourselves with mainstream medical groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA), the American Nurses Association (ANA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

• We oppose intrusive, excessive, and unnecessary government interference in a woman’s life and personal decisions.

• We believe all Mississippians have the right to obtain quality, affordable public education, particularly post-secondary education, that can lead to good jobs and economic self-sufficiency. We recognize there are significant obstacles to achieving this goal. We value addressing the systemic, root causes of income inequality.
Read more here: https://www.womensfoundationms.org/jun ... atement/
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U.S. wants to end dependence on China rare earths, Yellen says
Source: Reuters
SEOUL, July 18 (Reuters) - The United States wants to end its "undue dependence" on rare earths, solar panels and other key goods from China to prevent Beijing from cutting off supplies as it has done to other countries, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. Yellen, who arrived in Seoul late on Monday, told Reuters she was pushing for increased trade ties with South Korea and other trusted allies to improve the resilience of supply chains and avert possible manipulation by geopolitical rivals.

"Resilient supply chains mean a diversity of sources of supply and eliminating to the extent we can the possibility that geopolitical rivals will be able to manipulate us and threaten our security," she said in an interview en route to Seoul. Yellen will map out her concerns in a major policy address in Seoul on Tuesday after touring the facilities of South Korean tech heavyweight LG Corp (003550.KS) during the final leg of an 11-day visit to the Indo-Pacific region.

According to excerpts of her remarks, Yellen will make a strong pitch for "friend-shoring" or diversifying U.S. supply chains to rely more on trusted trading partners, a move she said would also combat inflation and help counter China's "unfair trade practices." Yellen said South Korea had “tremendous strengths in terms of resources, technology, abilities” and its companies, including LG, were already investing in the United States.

"They have substantial capacity to produce advanced semiconductors," was particularly important given the United States' "huge dependence" on Taiwan Semiconductor, she said. It was critical to reduce U.S. dependence on certain Chinese exports since Beijing had cut off supplies to countries such as Japan in the past, while applying pressure in other ways to Australia and Lithuania, a senior Treasury official said.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-w ... 022-07-18/
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caltrek
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Structuring the Economy to Give Money to the Rich Is Inflationary
by Dean Baker
July 18, 2022

Extract:
(Common Dreams) (P)olicies that give more money to people at the top are inflationary. The fact that we structured our patent rules and pandemic handouts to create five Moderna billionaires, and many other very wealthy people at Moderna and other pharmaceutical companies, meant that we had people at the top spending more on housing, cars, vacations, and other items that increased demand in the economy. Just as it can be inflationary when the government sends people $2,000 checks, and they spend it, it can be inflationary when the government transfers…hundreds of billions of dollars annually to the people in a position to benefit from the patent monopolies it has granted.

Similarly, the fact that our doctors earn more than twice as much as their counterparts in other wealthy countries, because we protect them from the sort of competition to which we subject our manufacturing workers, means that we have almost 1 million doctors with the equivalent of $150,000 checks from the government each year… The same is true of dentists, lawyers, and other high-end professionals who our politicians look to protect from competition rather than seek economic efficiency.

We also transfer tens of billions of dollars upward to CEOs and other top corporate executives through the corrupt corporate governance structure that we have instituted. A recent study surveyed corporate directors and found that the vast majority did not even see it as their job to contain CEO pay. Instead, they saw their role as supporting top management.

In this context, it is not surprising that even mediocre CEOs can get paychecks in the tens of millions of dollars annually...If the CEO gets $20 million, the chief financial officer might get $10 to $12 million, and even third-tier executives may get $2 to $3 million. This is all inflationary. Again, it has the same impact on the economy as if the government were sending checks of this size to top executives.

There are other ways in which the economy has been structured to give more money to those at the top, at the expense of the working class. (See Rigged: How Globalization and the Rules of the Modern Economy Were Structured to Make the Rich Richer https://deanbaker.net/books/rigged.htm [it’s free].)
Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/views/202 ... tionary

caltrek’s comment: Good luck getting conservative Republicans to agree with these arguments and act upon the given recommendations
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99% of House GOP Just Showed They Support Forcing Children to Birth 'Their Rapist's Child'
by Jessica Corbett
July 15, 2022

Introduction:
(Common Dreams) While reproductive rights advocates and many Democrats on Friday welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of a bill protecting the right to travel for abortion care, Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. called out GOP lawmakers who opposed the legislation.

"Today 99% of House Republicans made clear they support forcing raped children to give birth to their rapist's child," declared the New Jersey Democrat after the House approved the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act in a 223-205 vote.

Just three Republicans—Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), and Fred Upton (Mich.)—joined Democrats in supporting the bill, and another three—Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio), and Nancy Mace (S.C.)—did not vote on it.

The development comes as the story of a 10-year-old rape victim forced to travel from Ohio to Indiana for an abortion has garnered national attention, and as anti-choice groups and state lawmakers are crafting legislation to try to prevent people from traveling for such care.
Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/202 ... ts-child

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