The Republican Party/USA/Democracy Dilemma

People are fleeing the Republican Party. Democrats are as popular as they've been in a decade.

We, the US, Need Amber Ruffin

The woman is spot on.

Our Gross Wealth Inequality in the US

"Warren Buffet just became the 5th American worth $100 billion. A year ago, there was 1..."

"...The pandemic has minted 50 new U.S. billionaires. Think about how a system that causes so much pain allows for those at the top to gain so much." --Dan Price @DanPriceSeattle

Our Insane US Healthcare System

No other nation in the world does health care the way we do in the US.

--We have, far and away, the most expensive health care system in the world. --We are the only nation that ties health care to profit. --We are the only nation where citizens go bankrupt from health care costs. --We are the only nation where our number one cause for bankruptcy for citizens is health care costs, approximately 40% of all bankruptcies in the US are from this, year after year, consistently. Insane. Obscene. Immoral. Fixable.

Wealthiest Nation in the World? Really?

Right. The United States. "Wealthiest nation in the world."  Sure we are.  Let's look closer.

First of all, there's that pesky issue of this biggest, most killing international pandemic in the last more than 100 years.

Coronavirus: Why America Has More Deaths Than Any Other

And sure, this COVID pandemic is an event, a "one off", if you will, that will go away. Here's statistics that are more complete, more over time and the entire nation and world.

US ranks last in worker benefits among developed countries: data

In comparisons to other developed nations, the U.S. lags in providing fundamental employee benefits.

For starters, we're the only Western, industrialized nation that a) doesn't have universal health care and that b) ties health care to profit and profits.

Real rocket scientists, we are.

Some of the facts from the article:

• Famed for their successful public health care systems, northern and Scandinavian countries like Canada, Denmark, Sweden and Norway ranked the highest in the top 10 countries with the best health care benefits.
• In the U.S., health care is privatized and does not offer universal health care, and Zenefits notes that private hospitals also propagate treatment inequalities between individuals who can afford higher quality treatment and those who cannot.
• Retirement benefits are another weak spot for the U.S.; older reports indicate that the U.S. comes in 16th place among the countries with the best retirement plans.
• This inequality in U.S. retirement planning extends to racial injustice as well. Some 24 percent of white family households are covered with an employee-sponsored retirement plan, compared to 16 percent of households of color.
• Throughout the globe, the U.S. also came in 32nd place for highest life expectancy, averaging 78.5 years.
• The U.S. is also notoriously stingy with its paid time off. Be it for sick leave, parental leave, or general work-life balance, the U.S. shows zero mandated paid holidays whereas similar countries within the European Union average between 20-30 paid holidays for discretionary use. Maternity leave is protected under U.S. labor laws, though, with 12 weeks of unpaid leave being the baseline for companies.
• Other countries, such as Finland, Germany, Japan, and Canada give their employees more time, ranging from 161 weeks to 52 weeks.

Note, too, above, what nations have higher standards of living, folks.

Yes.  Socialist. Democratic Socialist governments and countries. Go figure.

So congratulations, America, Americans. At least, with all this, above, we also have this, below, eh?

U.S. Has Worst Wealth Inequality of Any Rich Nation

Say... Do you suppose, just suppose the two could be related?

Ya' think?

Additional link:

COVID-19 pandemic death rates by country

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

One thing, anyway, we Americans did right, that we do right.

"There is one day that is ours. 

Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American."

--O. Henry 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Enjoy.

Biden says staff has spoken with Fauci: 'He's been very, very helpful'

Fauci says he would 'absolutely' serve on a Biden coronavirus task force

A reason to give thanks: 

Help with COVID-19 is on the way

Biden to receive first daily presidential briefing on Monday

Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Is Cheaper than Pfizer’s and Moderna’s and Doesn’t Require Supercold Temperature

Have a great day and weekend and by all means, stay safe out there.

USA: It Sucks to be You?

 I saw this article today.

Study ranks Canada #1 in the world for quality of life

Check that out.

Canada was recently ranked the second most beautiful country in the world, and now it is being hailed for its quality of life.

In fact, Canada took the top spot for the category in the latest 2019 Best Countries Rankings by U.S. News and World Report. What's more, this is the country's fourth year in a row in the ranking's top spot.

America?  Shall we compare?

• Guess what neighbor to the North has universal health care?
• Guess what neighbor to the North didn't tie health care to profit?
• And who's people don't go bankrupt from health care costs?
• And who's number 1 cause of bankruptcy for citizens isn't health care costs?
• And also has far less guns and weapons?
• And far less shootings and killings?
• And doesn't pay out an obscene amount every year for "defense"?
• And doesn't have an idiotic, self-serving, greedy, uninformed leader of their nation?

So...   Ladies and gentlemen?

Can we learn anything?

Maybe?

Could we?

Please?

This President, the Nation, History and Democracy

Truth

Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders·

No figure in history has done more to undermine American democracy than Donald Trump. His "birther" movement tried to delegitimize the Obama presidency. His refusal to accept defeat now is trying to undermine the Biden presidency. 

Goodbye Trump

____________________

#ThrowTheBumOUT

Quote of the Day -- On This President His Presidency and Our Nation

 

Political scientist specializing in America said on Russian state TV: “The USA has become a land of idiots.” He recommended that Russia intensify its info-wars against the United States, in order “to showcase America’s impotence on a global stage.”

--Julia Davis

@JuliaDavisNews

Russia Is Rooting for Civil War in America: ‘The Worse, the Better’: “It is better to remain neutral, but if we had to choose, then Trump is certainly ours.”

Same source.

If this Trump Presidency hasn't concerned you, at least, up to this point, perhaps now is a good time for it.

Thanks, Republicans. Clearly, clearly you'll do anything, anything for power--nation, people, fellow citizens and Democracy, our own and the one with the big D, be damned.

86 45

BYEDON

Who the Hell Are We America?

 Who the Hell are we, America? Who and what have we become?

We put immigrant children in cages at our Southern border and now we're forcing hysterectomies on immigrant women?? 

US nurse alleges 'hysterectomies on migrant women'

Women in ICE Custody Allegedly Coerced Into Hysterectomies

US watchdog to investigate ICE unwanted hysterectomies

Really?? This is who we want to be??

And now we have a President that has been accused by more than 2 dozen women of sexually assaulting them?

The 25 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

So what?  They're ALL lying?  Really?

And that's not bad enough, now another woman just came forward and accused him of same.

'Tired of Being Quiet,' Another Woman, Amy Dorris, Comes Forward to Accuse Donald Trump of Sexual Assault

Donald Trump accused of sexual assault in new interview

And then there's this.

Trump Luxury Properties Have Charged US Government $1.1M Since Inauguration: Report

Can you even imagine the outrageous uproar that would have uttered forth from the Right Wingers and Republicans and conservatives across the nation if the previous President, Obama, did anything remotely similar to this? Does the Emoluments Clause of our Constitution mean nothing now, with this Trump, this President?

Really?

Is this what and who we want to be?

America?? Americans??

More. Believably/unbelievably, still more:

'One of the Most Callous Sentiments Ever Uttered' by US President: Trump Falsely Says Covid Death Toll Not So Bad 'If You Take Blue States Out'

The Present Racial, Police Brutality Problem As Today, But 50 Years Ago

I found this yesterday on YouTube. Some of their marketing their own videos, I'm sure. Regardless, it is stunning that it's the same, exact discussion and debate and problem we have today, now---and it's from 50 years ago.  This was posted on the video by one David Hoffman:

This was on national public television (PBS) in the prime time in 1971. It was considered shockingly bold to present this debate and to hear police officers and chiefs of police honestly and bluntly state how they saw the racial injustices in the department and in the society. Some things have clearly changed for the better. But it is, at least for me, strangely familiar and uncomfortable to see what has not changed. Since the murder of Floyd George, once again, police injustice and inequality is front and center in the news across America.

Stunning.

We haven't changed a bit.

Quote of the Day -- Prescient, Local Version

Great statement from the protest locally I heard on the evening news. It was said by a speaker at the protest this past Sunday, I believe, by one of the organizers, on the Plaza:

"This isn't black against white.

This is people against racism."

Quote of the Day -- Timely, Oppressed Version

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” 

--Elie Wiesel

The NYT Asks a Great Question Today -- Then Also Gives Great American History Lessons

Today's Sunday New York Times does just that today. That is, they ask an excellent question and then give what I hope is lots of Americans not just a great American history lesson, but in this one column, LOTS of excellent history lessons.

Why Does the U.S. Military Celebrate White Supremacy?

The information they give on Confederate General George Pickett alone is eye-opening and important, let alone all the rest they give in this one column. Here is just a snippet of what is an extremely full and very informative article:

Black recruits (in WWII) who volunteered to die for their country were mainly shut out of combat units, commanded by white Southerners who often resented being assigned to colored units. In some contexts, black servicemen were treated worse than prisoners of war. The actress and singer Lena Horne, for example, flew into a rage during World War II when she arrived at a military camp to entertain only to find that the best seats — in the “white” section of the audience — had been reserved for German P.O.W.s.

Far too many of us, far too many Americans, don't know our national history--our true, complete national history.

Please. If you can. If you will. Do yourself, and the nation, really, a favor and read it. No exaggeration.

Please.

Bad News For Missouri and Our Peak Deaths Date In This Pandemic

A friend sent me the following link and chart with information of when, exactly, the doctors and scientific community is projecting each state will peak in deaths from this novel coronavirus pandemic.

Here's when the coronavirus will peak in your state

The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has developed a new model that predicts peak coronavirus in each US state

Missouri is, coincidentally, unfortunately, a worst case scenario, of all the states.

This table was last updated April 2:

State	PEAK USE OF RESOURCES	PEAK DAILY DEATHS	TOTAL ESTIMATED DEATHS (BY AUG 4)
USA	April 15	April 16	93,531
Alabama	April 17	April 19	5,516
Alaska	April 15	April 14	148
Arizona	April 27	April 26	1,387
Arkansas	April 26	April 26	619
California	April 26	April 26	5068
Colorado	April 17	April 18	2154
Connecticut	April 15	April 15	1144
Delaware	April 11	April 11	166
Florida	May 3	May 4	6897
Georgia	April 24	April 25	3232
Hawaii	May 3	May 1	372
Idaho	April 26	April 26	397
Illinois	April 20	April 20	3386
Indiana	April 19	April 20	1160
Iowa	May 1	May 1	1488
Kansas	April 28	April 26	640
Kentucky	May 16	May 13	821
Louisiana	April 9	April 10	1834
Maine	April 17	April 15	364
Maryland	April 29	April 28	1766
Massachusetts	April 16	April 17	2381
Michigan	April 9	April 11	3169
Minnesota	April 22	April 21	932
Mississippi	April 21	April 20	918
Missouri	May 21	May 18	1290
Montana	April 26	April 25	266
Nebraska	April 23	April 23	447
Nevada	April 20	April 18	799
New Hampshire	April 17	April 15	331
New Jersey	April 8	April 9	2117
New Mexico	April 24	April 22	525
New York	April 9	April 10	16261
North Carolina	April 26	April 27	1534
North Dakota	April 21	April 20	169
Ohio	April 19	April 19	1898
Oklahoma	April 23	April 23	1419
Oregon	May 5	May 2	558
Pennsylvania	April 18	April 19	2023
Rhode Island	April 20	April 16	259
South Carolina	April 28	April 28	1095
South Dakota	May 4	April 29	204
Tennessee	April 19	April 20	3422
Texas	May 6	May 6	6392
Utah	April 23	April 23	580
Vermont	April 9	April 2	58
Virginia	May 20	May 20	3152
Washington	April 11	April 9	978
West Virginia	May 4	May 1	487
Wisconsin	April 27	April 28	951
Wyoming	May 4	April 28	140

Tough luck there, Missouri, Missourians. Better luck.

STAY. AT. HOME.

The--Very--Racist History of Banking In Our United States

What so, so many Americans don't know. Or ignore. And/or disavow.



Also ignoring the segregation that got us here and the poorer schools and far less opportunities for jobs and so, better pay.

Sure.

Let's ignore or deny all that.

Happy 4th of July! Independence Day!

On this day, July 4...

--1804, Author Nathaniel Hawthorne, born;
---1826, in one of history's notable coincidences, former U.S. Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died, 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted;

---1863, Union troops defeated Confederate forces in a battle at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Independence Day was not celebrated in that city for many, many years after;

--1872, - Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, born;
---1895, the poem America the Beautiful, by Wellesley College Professor Katherine Lee Bates, was published. The poem with music by Samuel A. Ward was published as a song in 1910;

---1939, Lou Gehrig gave his "...luckiest man on the face of the Earth..." speech in announcing his retirement from the New York Yankees;

---1986, more than 250 sailing ships and the United States' biggest fireworks display honored the Statue of Liberty in its 100th birthday year;

---1997, NASA's Pathfinder reached Mars to become the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the planet in more than two decades;

--1998, Malia Obama, daughter of former President Barack Obama, born.

Happy Fourth, everyone! Stay safe! Enjoy!

Source/link:

ArcaMax Publishing: News & Entertainment by Email

Here's That "American Exceptionalism"

Worst vacation policies of any developed country

America Has the Worst Vacation Policies 

Of Any Developed Country

Americans get the least paid vacation time in the world

America Has the Worst Family Leave Policies

Most expensive health care of the top 17 industrialized nations

U.S. Healthcare: Most Expensive 

and Worst Performing

And check that out--also the least effective health care of those same 17 nations

We own more guns than any other nation.

Americans own more guns than residents of any

 other country

Our gun homicide rates are more than 25% higher than other high-income nations.

America's gun culture vs. the world 

in 5 charts 

Oh, yeah. We're exceptional, all right.

At least we have Grand Canyon, eh?

What Canadians--and the World--Are Seeing Here In the US

I saw this today out on the interwebs. I couldn't confirm it's written by a Canadian but seriously, think about what they write. It seems a very real, fair and at least sad, if not ugly comment on America presently.

And he didn't even touch on shoveling yet more money to the already-wealthy and corporations while taking it from the middle- and lower-classes.

Again, thanks, Republicans!

And may God help us.

How the Rest of the World Sees Our Nation and Our Guns

"Sunday with Lubach, which is sort of like the Dutch version of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, looked at guns — specifically, the US’s love of firearms."

From the article:

This European comedy sketch explains how the world sees America's

 gun problem