2020's Defining Moments and the Stimulus Package

 

2020 has been described as being everything from "challenging" to "historic". However, it's one that won't soon be forgotten. If we were to pick a symbol for the year, surely a dead skunk in the road would be it. So, let's briefly take look at some highlights of the past "stinker" of a year before delving into the year's main story, COVID-19 and the stimulus package.

The year kicked off with the protests and riots unlike anything we've seen since the 1960's following the deaths of Breonna Taylor in Louisville Kentucky in March and George Floyd in Minneapolis Minnesota in May; both at the hands of the police. It should of been taken as warning of what was coming.

 

Protests, Riots, and Calls for Racial Justice

Whether their deaths were racially motivated or simply poor decision making by all concerned,  it sparked massive waves of protests and riots nationwide along with looting, arson, random attacks on individuals, and destruction of property which had nothing to do with racial justice.

It also saw the appearance of so-called "Right Wing" militias (often wrongly labeled as "neo-Nazi" or "racist" by the media), which tended to be rather well behaved, and Leftist groups like Antifa which, despite its name, was more akin to the Nazi Brownshirts or Communist Red Front than not.

Black Lives Matter showed its true colors as a race-centric neo-Marxist group, which, along with Antifa, turned out to be surprisingly organized and well funded. It's worth nothing that both groups were labeled by the media as "peaceful" despite the chaos they caused. Race baiting seems to be back in fashion.

 

We Can Still Be Friends

The media continued to pound President Donald Trump at every opportunity as they have since he was first elected. Never once did they let up or give him any serious credit, even when there were historic diplomatic breakthroughs like the four Arab nations agreeing to officially recognize  Israel---Sudan (which lost the moniker of a terrorist sponsoring state), the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain (which was promised high tech weapons  and diplomatic favors including financial aid).  

Relations between Kosovo and Serbia were normalized, while Muslim Kosovo also agreed to recognize Israel. Meanwhile, the UK  formally said "goodbye" to the European Union as Brexit took effect. The virus shut down the pro-democracy moment in Hong Kong to China's relief as it upped the ante in challenging America and her Asian allies for dominance.

 

Presidential Election:  The Ole Cup and Balls Trick

In 2016, we were told that Russian meddling in the election caused Hillary Clinton to lose his bid for president; not her inability to connect with voters, and surely not her questionable behavior (like Benghazi). We were told to ignore the rigging of the Democratic Primary against Bernie Sanders even though it was admitted and the head of the DNC was fired (as was her successor). This year, despite ample evidence of ballot corruption, we're told that our electoral system is safe and there is no way fraud could have taken place, so ignore the evidence and videos. Nothing to see. Move along.

Biden's Cabinet picks (as I've recently pointed out in my previous two articles) are primarily retreads from the Clinton and Obama administrations. Throughout Biden's 47 years in office, he has repeatedly shown himself not to be a friend of the working and middle classes or small business owners. He has perpetually pushed to cut taxes for the wealthy, favored deregulation and bailouts for big business, while supporting tax hikes on everyone else. Even seniors and veterans aren't safe.

Biden has repeatedly backed cuts in Social Security and support for veterans. But, not to worry! It seems that Biden isn't quite all there. Many expect a short tenure in office before being forced to stepped down and replaced by Kamala Harris as the first female president.

 

The COVID Virus: The New Normal

Not since the 1919 Influenza outbreak has a virus had such a far reaching affect on society. Businesses and restaurants have been shuttered, laying off millions of workers. Ordinary people have been forced to self-quarantine.  When we do go out, we're expected to wear mask and only go where we absolutely must and return home as quickly as possible, and don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly with the sanitizer you're now expected to keep in your car, your purse, or pocket.

Of course, we can't forget "social distancing"; maintaining that invisible six foot barrier between you and the next person. Government has stepped in to ensure that we can't gather in groups of more than  ten. They don't want us attend weddings, funerals, or religious services, movies, family gatherings (and especially if it involves singing), but apparently protests, political events and shopping at big box stores are okay. Just no small local stores. 

Americans are scared, which seems to be the way the Status Quo wants it. As a result, we've seen hoarding and artificial shortages. If there's any doubt that in a crisis, self-interest will always prevail, this should have removed all doubts. As a result, we've willingly accepted so-called "temporary emergency" restrictions to many of our freedoms. Many a despot has come to power using "temporary emergency" measures. Freedoms, once lost, are hard to reclaim just as power, once obtained, is hard to surrender.

Nevertheless, what we have entered is a "new normal" of masks, sanitizers, and self-imposed restrictions of movement. It's part of what the elites are calling "the Great Reset". It will be their attempts to reverse any changes President Trump made to the Status Quo, and to implement new ones under Biden/Harris. How far this "reset" will go depends on how much resistance they encounter. Based on the previous months, I expect very little.

The media will do its best to sell it. So will Hollywood, and naturally, so will Wall Street and  Madison Avenue since they all make up this Oligarchic Corporatocracy that is now America. Unions, once the voice of the working class, long ago sold out, leaving millions of blue collar workers high and dry, not to mention unemployed or underemployed.

But there is some good news I suppose. Earlier this year most Americans received a "stimulus" check of around $1200 (some countries gave citizens as much as $7000). It helped, but was nowhere near enough for the long term, especially as many were nearing the end of their unemployment benefits. Many more were looking at the possibility of facing repossession or foreclosure.

 More recently, Congress offered the American People $600. To call it insulting would be a gross understatement. The public was (rightfully) outraged. Social media was flooded with stories about illegal immigrants getting $1800 or Pakistan receiving billions to study "gender differences". But, how true were these stories?  What was in the 5600 page bill?

 

The Devil is in the Details

While Americans felt that the stimulus bill was supposed to be by and for us, it was, in fact, not. The bill did include billions in foreign aid, much of which was for education and infrastructure development in places like Tibet, Laos, Cambodia, and Egypt. There was $33 million set aside for "pro-democracy" programs in Venezuela (basically political bribery). $1.65 billion to Jordan which can use the money however it wants.

Four billion was authorized to help other countries purchase vaccines for the COVID virus. $130 million went for programs to empower women overseas and promote gender equality, while another $15 million went to help at-risk women and girls from religious extremists. $25 million went to World Bank to help with refugees. $40 million went to Syria for the purpose of providing medical assistance to those exposed to chemical weapons as well as first responders. So, what about us? Did we get anything besides the $600 lump of coal from Congress?

 

 Political Afterthought: The Voters and the Stimulus Package

The $900 billion dollar stimulus bill does include a few perks for Americans. Well, first some good news. At President Trump's insistence, we could get a check for $2000 rather than $600. However, the biggest roadblock is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has indicated that he will oppose the increase in order to keep the bill's cost from skyrocketing (we could cut the foreign aid pork but that would be rejected by members of both parties anxious to score brownie points with their financial backers).

Nevertheless, the bill does include funding to help extend unemployment benefits up to $300 per week, which is half of the amount provided this past spring. Schools and universities will get $82 billion. $7 billion is for expanding broadband internet access. $285 billion goes to a program called Paycheck Protection Program. It's to help guarantee employers' ability to meet payroll. $12 billion of that has been earmarked for minority owned businesses. However, the program has come under criticism in that the majority of money goes to large corporations not adversely affected by the pandemic.  Many have used the money to cover top level executive bonuses.

$10 billion will go to the childcare industry, which has been hit hard by the mandatory shutdowns. The bill also includes a ban to prevent doctors, hospitals, and others in the medical industries to send so-called "surprise" bills to patients. They define this as bills for services not previously explained to and acknowledged by the patient or their family. That one, I suspect, will need a lot more clarification.

The bill also provides a provision to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and repossessions for the next 30 days (but not interest charges or late fees). $13 billion will go for food assistance such as SNAP, food banks, and food pantries. $175 million of that is earmarked for Meals on Wheels and similar programs.

Lastly, there is nothing in the bill that provides illegal immigrants with a stimulus check. Only those here legally and possess a green card will receive a payment, which will be for $600 like the rest of us.

While the stimulus bill is far from perfect (much of the funding of foreign countries is unnecessary, at least at this time), it does provide some badly needed relief, especially to those worried about losing their homes or cars, those on SNAP or depend on food programs.

Sadly, not included in the package is assistance for senior care, help with utilities like heat or shelters. As of now, it seems likely that most of us will receive $600, not the $2000 President Trump wanted. It also appears that this is just the beginning of our "new normal", at least for the foreseeable future.

 

A Look at What's in the Stimulus Package Trump Signed

Long-term care industry expresses disappointment as Congresspasses stimulus bill

Foreign Aid in Congress' December Stimulus Package

Biden failed veterans as VP, he'd fail them again as President

 

 

 

The Economic and Political Impact of COVID-19 on the Country

America is, as everyone knows, a deeply divided country. Most of the divisions, be it political, racial, ethnic, gender, or even religious, are largely considered to be manufactured by the news media, which, again, as most Americans know, owned by a handful of corporations. In fact, 90+% of all media and entertainment is owned by just six corporations, which represent a portion of the corporate Oligarchy which controls our former Republic.

The reason for the illusionary divisions is believed to be created in order to better control the populace. The more we are at each other's throats, the less likely we'll focus on those behind the curtain pulling the strings and the easier we are to control, or at least, so it's thought. But regardless, many Americans have little faith in the honesty of the news media, particularly by those on the political Right, and that trend has been steadily growing.

One would think that given the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, political games by the news media would be set aside in favor of the overall wellbeing of the citizenry. Well, you would be mistaken my friends. Despite not just our current health crisis and the subsequent affects on the economy, distrust over the accuracy of the reporting on the virus, such as the infection rate, continues. So too does the general disbelief over the seriousness of the virus, or even its legitimacy in some sectors.

According to Pew Research, 73% of Democrats or those who lean that way were satisfied with how the news media presents the news. Only 31% of Republicans or those who lean Republican thought the news media was accurate, and even less---27%---thought it was actually helping the country. Given our political divide as a nation, this is pretty much what you would expect. But with something as serious and politically neutral as the COVID-19 virus, what would expect the overall public opinion to be? Well, if you said partisan, you'd be right!

66% of Democrats thought that the news media coverage of the pandemic was accurate and well covered. However, just 31% would Republicans agree. That means that approximately two-thirds of those on the Right believe that coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic is biased in some form for political purposes (most on the Right believe that it's to make President Trump look bad and/or to adversely affect the 2020 elections).

An interesting aside to this is that just 43% of those polled, regardless of political leaning, had a "fair amount" of confidence that journalists typically act in the best interests of the country while a whopping 52% said they had little or no confidence in the integrity of journalists. 56% said that journalist have "low" or "very low" ethical standards. That in itself is quite a condemnation of the news media, which includes talk radio and television programs which engage in political discourse, regardless of any other divisions.

In a rare showing of partisanship, it's worth noting that the majority of Democrats and those who lean Democrat and their opposite numbers (94% and 85% respectively) agree that the virus should result in at least some closures such as public schools, restricting international travel, and cancelling entertainment and sporting events, as well as restricting groups of ten or more with a majority of 82% and 92% Democrat and Republican respectively.

In what is an rare agreement between the two political camps according to Pew, 84% of Republicans and 74% of Democrats say that public officials have, in general, done a good job in how they've managed the crisis (this includes local, state, and federal levels). Where partisanship rears its ugly head is where President Trump is concerned. 85% of Republicans and Conservatives in general approve of Trump's handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Compare that to only 12% of Democrats and Liberals. That is a substantial difference. Could this be due to how President Trump is portrayed by the news media?

Since this outbreak began, I've noticed a growing chorus on the Right claim that the virus is not as severe as originally reported. Many are increasingly saying that masks are unnecessary or that virus itself was created specifically as a tool to attack our freedoms and/or expand government control. Ironically, many on the Left are joining in on that last point. They claim that the virus is real and severe, but it's being used by the Trump Administration to expand the power of the Executive Office, restrict our rights, or perhaps even to suspend the November elections to give Republicans an unfair advantage. Either way, it underscores our collective deep distrust of the government.

Along those lines, the Pew survey showed that 39% of Republicans believe the public is overreacting to the virus while 30% say public reaction is appropriate and 31% think that the public's reaction to the virus wasn't serious enough. Compare that to the Democrat's responses of 25%, 27%, and 48% respectively to the question. Obviously Democrats think that much more needed to be done, which is in keeping with their philosophical belief of a larger and more pro-active government.

In keeping with the responses above, it's therefore reasonable that they should feel similar when it comes to the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus itself. Almost 80% of Democrats and those who lean Democrat believe that the virus is a major health crisis and yet only 52% of those on the Right agree.

When it comes to the economy, which has been seriously impacted by the closures, Democrats take a much more pessimistic view. Almost three-fourths (74%) of those surveyed said that the effects of the virus on the economy will result on a recession or even a depression. Republicans on the other hand aren't quite so negative, but 52% of them agree. Recent reports out of the Federal Reserve support the pessimism, especially for those on the lower end of the economic ladder.

Bear in mind too that America has very little of its Middle Class left after the majority of its production and manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas in order to increase corporate profits and emasculate unions. The Middle Class had been historically America's backbone. This left the country as primarily a service economy with steeper personal and business debt for the smaller "mom and pop" companies.

Couple that with America's huge income inequality gap, inadequate healthcare and we have a potentially serious problem. The top 5% owns 248 times more than the average American. As an aside, did you know that the U.S. has the widest income gap of all the G7 nations or that CEO compensation has grown 940% since 1978 compared to 12% for the average worker? How about CEO salaries which are on average 341% more than the average employee? Not unexpectedly, the gaps are worse for minorities including for women. Obviously that is a recipe for disaster to a political, social, and economic system which few have any faith in.

More than 33 million workers have lost their job as a result of the closures either temporarily or permanently and filed for unemployment. Despite a temporary extension and increase in unemployment benefits and the unprecedented stimulus check, the American job market has gone from one of the best ever to one that could ultimately be on par with the Great Depression of the 1930's. Many fear (and justifiably) that smaller businesses will not survive the shutdown or subsequent slower economy and will close permanently.

Meanwhile, the large corporate giants will weather the economic storm with little measurable impact long term. Some businesses have tried to remain afloat by converting to takeout/delivery service and by offering employees an added financial incentive to work. However, that incentive is in all likelihood temporary and pay will revert to what it was before the crisis. What we will have post-COVID is a much more volatile and economically unstable country with a strong possibility that the virus will have a repeat appearance if past outbreaks holds true.

So, where does that leave us? As the polls showed, there is a strong distrust of not just the government but the news media as well. Economically we were already a highly vulnerable country despite the strong labor market. The virus has affected our food chain just as it has smaller businesses in general, and created artificial shortages thanks mostly to hoarding. The result will be more and longer unemployment. It has severely strained our healthcare system and exposed many of its weaknesses.

It has made the fiscal inadequacies of state and local governments all that much worse, and left them demanding more money just to provide basic services. Yet, with more people either unemployed or underemployed and with household incomes already stretched to the breaking point, the risk of tax revolts are a real possibility. With both of the corporate controlled political parties hemorrhaging registered voters, not to mention long standing opinion polls of Congress, the Presidency, and Judicial system which would have politicians in other countries hiding under their desks.

Perhaps this virus wasn't meant to be the straw which broke the camel's back. Perhaps instead it's the last switch before we careen over off the rails into the canyon of historical mistakes; a broken collection of history's mistakes and "could-have-been" and end up as just another second tier country with a police state style government. I prefer to see it as a warning. The virus has exposed a seriously sick nation.

Now is the time when we need to address a broken political and economic system and move beyond outdated and corrosive Left/Right "partisan think"; inadequate healthcare, wage and income inequality, inferior schools (especially in poorer neighborhoods or Native American reservations), not to mention our crumbling infrastructure which is decades overdue in repairs. Now too is when we need to reexamine our role as the world's policeman. It's time to rethink our dependence on fossil fuels and destruction of rainforests.

But if we're to act, we must do so now, while we still have the time. The thing about opportunities is that they don't last. We need to put aside our partisan thinking. We need to realize that most of the differences we are being fed by the media serves the interests of those in charge; the ruling Oligarchs and the political class who cater to their whelms. This is our country. Government is to serve our interests, not the wealthy elites. This is our time to act.



Americans' Views of the News Media During the COVID-19 Outbreak


CEO compensation has grown 940% since 1978


CEO Pay Skyrockets To 361 Times That Of The Average Worker


6 Facts About Economic Inequality in the U.S.

Do You Want Fries with Your Pandemic? Global Famine on the Heels of COVID-19

It seems we've entered into a phase where we just can't catch a break. A month or so ago, I read an article where parts of the Middle East were being affected by locust swarms of biblical proportions. California, as everyone knows, was hit by a series of massive wildfires, which were, in part, the result of faulty power lines belonging to PG&E while others were intentionally, as was Australia. Globally, there has been a series of volcanic eruptions and upticks of earthquakes, especially in South America and Asia along the so-called "ring of fire", which is an area with the most active volcanoes along the Pacific Rim.

Of course, we've been locked into a debate for over a decade as to whether we are experiencing climate warming which, if true, could have catastrophic consequences on the planet for decades or centuries to come. Meanwhile, others argue that there is no proof of global warming. What changes that are taking place are ordinary changes like the Earth has been experiencing for thousands or millions of years. A sizeable minority maintain that there are no changes happening whatsoever, and then there are those who even claim we may actually be entering a brief period of global cooling!

Nowadays, we facing a pandemic which some experts say could cause hundreds of thousands of deaths. Fortunately, no one is predicting that the current flu-like virus will have the same numbers of the 1918 Spanish Flu which killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people worldwide (that's more than who died during World War One) while infecting at least 500 million.

As an aside, Ebola, which isn't a respiratory disease like MERS, the Bird Flu, or COVID-19, has killed approximately 11,300 people and infected some 28,000 (mostly in Africa) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) as of 2016. Meanwhile, the AIDS pandemic, which began around 1981 and continues today has caused 35 million deaths. The Swine Flu of 2009/2010 infected 1.4 billion people according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). While the exact number of deaths are unknown, the CDC estimated that somewhere between 151,700 and 575,400 people died from complications resulting from the Swine Flu. MERS killed around 100 people and the Bird Flu killed approximately 400.

Now, the corporate media is starting to report that as result of the business closures triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting global economic decline in trade, food production and distribution may become affected. If this occurs, these same news outlets are predicting that there could be a food shortage worldwide, which could become severe or catastrophic in some places.

I'm sure most of us have heard about dairy farmers having to throw out thousands of gallons of milk while produce farmers are allowing equal amounts crops to rot in the field, yet the demand for food in food banks, homeless shelters, and other facilities which cater to those who are food insecure has dramatically increased thanks to the virus situation. Why are we allowing all this to go to waste? Before we address that question, let's look at the food situation globally and nationally first, and who are the most vulnerable.

According to the United Nations, approximately 812 million people do not get enough food to meet basic nutritional needs. That's roughly one in nine individuals globally who go to sleep at night hungry. Asia is the worst affected, followed by Africa (mainly the Sub-Saharan region). Poor nutrition is listed as the prime cause of death among 45% of all children under five years of age. That's about 3.1 million children. One in four are stunted while one in six are underweight. 66 million children globally go to school hungry.

In addition, the lack of proper nutrition also affects their mental development. It also leaves them with a weakened immune system and chronically poor health which often affects them for life. This also affects prenatal women who are typically undernourished in these regions as well. An interesting side note, due to religious and cultural traditions, women are often not permitted birth control. Incidentally, women farmers are not allowed the same resources as the men when it comes to farming for the same reasons. If they were, an estimated 150 million additional people could be fed annually.

In the United States, the "land of plenty", nearly 38 million people live in poverty. An estimated 78% of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck according to a survey done by CareerBuilder in 2019. Three in four are in debt and expect to remain in debt. 45% of Americans have no savings or money set aside for emergencies (72% have less than $1000 set aside). An average of 25% of workers have no money put aside toward retirement. Credit card debt alone in this country is a one trillion dollar issue.

Of the 38 million people living in poverty, 37 million are "food insecure" which is a polite euphemism for not knowing where or when their next meal is coming from. Of this number, 11 million are children. 12.3% are considered the "working poor". 60% of seniors routinely have to decide between food, medicine, and expenses every month. The majority depend on some form of outside assistance such as a food bank, shelter, church, or similar organization. The children of those in poverty depend on school provided meals. Often it's the only meal they can actually count on.

With the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, it only compounds the situation. People aren't working and unemployment will only get you so far, even with small extra government provided "perks" such as the stimulus checks. Meanwhile, with people not working and businesses idle, no revenue is being produced, which means no taxes being generated to keep governments functioning. Yes, governments and businesses can borrow money, but that's just delaying the inevitable (plus the added interest). The result is an economy slowing down and the likely advent of a recession the longer we remain in quarantine, which brings us back to the topic of hunger.

In the best of times, global famine remains a serious issue. With this pandemic, it's only going to get worse. While in most countries, especially the highly industrialized nations, such as Russia, Germany, South Korea, Japan, France, or the UK, it's doubtful it will come to that. However, getting food is becoming an increasing problem, especially in the poorer countries, but also here at home.

There are already growing reports of people lining up in line for hours to get basic food packages only to find out that they "just" ran out. Food banks, as I said earlier, are reporting a significant increase in demand. So, why are there crops in the field being allowed to rot while thousands of gallons of milk go down the drain literally?

Dawn Thilmany, an agricultural economist from Colorado State University, said that normally 50% of all food produced go to commercial use (restaurants, institutions, etc). Because of the quarantine, 75% of that business is gone. The remainder is what's being picked up by the drive-thru and home delivery businesses still open and by institutions who buy in bulk.

In addition, farmers have to cope with the ban prohibiting ten or more individuals gathering out of fear of spreading the virus. A typical farming operation can involve dozens of people. There is also the freshness issue. As general rule, crops will remain fresh for just two weeks (not to mention eggs). Even if they could harvest the crops, food banks, churches, and other organizations which feed the poor couldn't afford the cost the farmers would have to charge just to cover their labor costs, let along make even a small profit. Unfortunately, it's cheaper to let the crops rot in the field, at least in the short run.

The quarantine issue and worker safety is also at the heart of several meat processing and packing plants being shut down. So, that means that animals normally sent to slaughter will get a short reprieve. However, that also means they will continue to have to be fed and cared for. That costs money, and with no money coming in from the sale of the cows, pigs, chicken, and fish, it presents a serious financial problem.

Another agricultural economist, Andrew Novakovic of Cornell University, said that typically the dairy industry loses approximately. 0.3% of product as a result of fluctuating demand. However, because of the COVID-19 virus and the shutdowns (such as schools), demand is down around 15%. As a result dairy farmers are dumping upwards of 10% of the milk produced.

The reason is pretty much the same. There isn't as much demand for dairy based products such as cheese, butter, or sour cream. Therefore, less demand means less production. However, since the "production" is coming from cows rather than production lines, it's simply dumped. Meanwhile, the cows can't be laid off. They can't draw unemployment. That still have to be fed and milked, and that's money out of the farmer's pocket. The end result may be a selloff of dairy cattle and fewer dairy farms, which, in turn, will result in higher prices for dairy based products.

Farmers and meat producers don't, as a rule, make a whole lot of money. Most do pretty well, but it's the large commercial operations which dominate the market. They are the ones which can endure long shutdowns and absorb the costs. Farmers, meanwhile, are expected to lose around $688 million dollars in sales due to the shutdown. With those numbers, the average "mom and pop" or independent operation can't last, at least not for long.

The end result is that we may see significantly fewer independent operations. We'll also likely see higher prices due to the decline in the number of producers and the extra costs associated with the feeding and sheltering of all those pigs, chickens, and hamburgers on the hoof has cost which will be passed to the consumer.

So, we sit and wait. Maybe the government will step forward with a plan to save the small dairy farmer and meat producer similar President Roosevelt's Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 which paid farmers a subsidy not to grow crops in order to dry up surpluses and increase prices, thus keeping more farmers in business. Then too, maybe farmers will allow people to come out and pick crops (like fruits and vegetables) rather than let it rot in the fields along the lines of the biblical notion of "second gleanings" (Leviticus 19:9). They could even let churches, food banks, the homeless to come out. At least it would feed some of the hungry.

Virus or not, there is no reason anyone in this country of ours should go hungry, be it in good times or bad. We should be thankful for those individuals who show up and stock the shelves, who work the drive-thru or making home deliveries, the truck drivers or those who are still on the job filling our prescriptions, along with all the nurses, doctors, police, EMS, firefighters, the postal workers, the men and women of the military, the garbage men, housekeeping, those making sure we have clean water and electricity, and of course, the farmers who make it possible for us to put food on the table. Want to know more? Check out our links below.



ISGlobal: Ebola: Two Years and 11,300 Deaths Later

20 of the worse epidemics and pandemics in history

Global hunger continues to rise , new UN report says

Why farmers are forced to let food rot during the shutdown while others go hungry

California farmers are forced to let crops rot and thrown away milk while food band demand soars

Illegals May Get Stimulus Checks

The Obama sponsored Economic Stimulus Package appears to be less than it seems (or perhaps more) when it comes to illegal aliens. The $800 billion deal could direct some of our taxpayer based money to illegal immigrants. How you ask? The legislation, which would direct a tax credit of $500 per worker, or $1000 per couple, would, on the face of it disqualify illegals since you must have a social security to get a check. But here’s the rub.

A House passed version would allow anyone with an individual taxpayer ID number to qualify for a stimulus check. Those who support this measure point out the illegal aliens should be “entitled” to receive a stimulus check since they can file tax returns using the same individual taxpayer ID number. So, illegal or not, since they (theoretically) pay income tax they argue, they should get a check just like everyone else. Opponents argue that illegal immigrants may or may not report all of their income and therefore should not be allowed to participate. Furthermore, they ask what part of “illegal” does Congress fail to understand? The previous stimulus check initially allowed illegal aliens to use their individual taxpayer ID numbers; however, a revolt lead by House Republicans forced the Democrats to modify legislation to require social security numbers only. The current legislation does not. Please contact your Congressman and Senator and ask that any stimulus package be restricted to US citizens only.


Union Yes!

Good news for unions and union supporters (and yes, that would include yours truly). According to the latest numbers, union membership is up for the second straight year. According to the US Department of Labor, union membership increased to 12.4%, which was up from 12.1% in 2007 (the level in 2006 was 12.0%). In terms of actual numbers, union member increased by 428,000, bringing the total to 16.1 million union brothers and sisters! Union membership peaked toward the end of the 1950’s when just over a quarter (26%) of the workforce carried a union card. The majority of workers at that time were in manufacturing and the defense industry.

To quote AFL-CIO President, John Sweeny, "Today's numbers confirm what many working people already know - that if given the chance, American workers are choosing to join unions in larger numbers”. President Obama is expected to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which would reverse a 2007 Supreme Court decision making it more difficult to initiate legal action over pay discrimination.

Government workers represent the largest group unionized. Average weekly wages among union employees was $881.00 compared to $691.00 among non-union workers. In addition, union workers had better working conditions, benefit and retirement plans compared to their non-union counterparts. And don’t think unions are for blue collar workers only. The fastest growing segment of new union members are in traditionally white collar jobs, especially education, training, and library workers with 38.7% unionized. Office workers and middle managers are also starting to seriously look at unionizing as companies continue to cut back, overwork, and outsource jobs.

So where do unions go from here? The next big battle will be a repeat of the Employee Free Choice Act which went down in defeat recently. Unions plan on a rematch with Big Business, but expect a very different outcome given the current political and economic climate. The EFCA would allow employees to form unions by majority vote without any interference by management or organized labor.


North Carolina Losing 1.2 Billion Dollars to Illegal Immigration

Below is an interesting article I recently received from FAIR---Federation for American Immigration Reform. According to the article, illegal immigration is costing North Carolina, a relatively poor Southern state, a whooping 1.2 billion dollars annually:

A report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) finds that illegal immigration costs North Carolina more than $1.2 billion a year. An additional $1.2 billion earned in the state is denied to the North Carolina economy by illegal aliens who sent remittances abroad. The report, The Costs of Illegal Immigration to North Carolinians looks at just three essential state services and programs: education, public health, and incarceration of criminal illegal aliens. Those impacts are:

K-12 Education. The estimated 120,000 children of illegal aliens in public schools cost taxpayers more than $1 billion annually.

Health care. Uncompensated health care for illegal aliens costs North Carolina an estimated $130 million a year.

Incarceration. Besides the human and economic costs of crimes by criminal illegal aliens, incarcerating the perpetrators carries a $49 million annual price tag.

According the report, tax collection from North Carolina’s illegal alien population amounts to about $225 million annually. However, if those jobs currently held by illegal aliens were filled by legal workers, often at higher wages, those taxes – and probably additional taxes – would be collected anyway.

The release of The Costs of Illegal Immigration to North Carolinians coincides with worsening fiscal news for the state. While the state spends more than $1.2 billion on services for illegal aliens, North Carolina is faced with a budget shortfall of $3 billion – about 10 percent of the total budget.

“The staggering $1.2 billion price tag for North Carolinians demonstrates the extent to which illegal immigration has become a nationwide phenomenon and a burden on American taxpayers in every region of the country,” noted Dan Stein, president of FAIR. “It is a burden that is especially onerous given the impact that the current economic crisis has already imposed on millions of American families and the havoc it is playing with state and local budgets.”

After years of ignoring North Carolina’s growing illegal immigration problem, the state now has more local police trained to identify and detain illegal aliens than all but one state, and has ended the practice of granting driver’s licenses to people who cannot prove they are legal residents. “As has been demonstrated in other states, consistent state-based policies can reverse the flow of illegal migration. North Carolina’s new governor, Bev Perdue, can ease the burdens on North Carolina taxpayers and reduce the state’s budget shortfall by continuing and strengthening state efforts to discourage illegal immigration,” Stein concluded.

About FAIR

Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country’s largest and oldest immigration reform group. With over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced. The full report is available at www.fairus.org.

Poll Results

We asked in our last poll is you were worried about losing your job. 41% of you said you were while 35% of you were not worried. 23% of you said you already lost your job (I'm sorry to see that). There is no doubt about it; we are living in historical times.