Category Archives: Blog

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Biden’s Plans Result in a Better Economic Outlook than Trump’s Plans

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Many poles have indicated that Americans believe that Trump is better for the Economy than Biden.   This is largely due to the continued extraordinary claims Trump has made about the success of his economy pre-COVID, and the recovery underway. In fact, he claims to have “built the best economy ever”.   These claims may be persuasive for some, but are not factual.  His first three years (pre-COVID) indicate a growth rate of 2.5%.  This is middle of the pack in historical performance.   However, the real question in front of us at this time, with an election just a month away, is whose policies would be better for the US economy in the coming years?

A highly respected and independent source of economic analysis and modeling is Moody Analytics.    They have carefully modeled four scenarios:

  1. A Biden win with Democratic Congress (Blue line)
  2. A Trump win with Republican Congress (Red line)
  3. A Biden win with split-Congress (Dash-blue)
  4. A Trump win with split-Congress (Dash-red

The results show that a Biden win with Democratic Congress is the best case scenario for the US economy, and the worst case scenario is a Trump win with Republican Congress.  The full article can be found via this link, it is definitely worth the read. https://www.moodysanalytics.com/-/media/article/2020/the-macroeconomic-consequences-trump-vs-biden.pdf

The summary economic results can be found in these two charts extracted from the article:

My takeaways from this article include the following:

  1. Biden’s policies includes more spending, but generates faster growth, and with low interest rates per FED policy, results in a manageable debt, and later-year growth in economy and thereby tax recovery.  In 2024, a Biden-Dem sweep yields approximately $1 Trillion in addition GDP which is 4.8% better than a Trump-Rep sweep model.
  2. Biden’s policies benefit the low and middle-income households with lower taxes and more services at the expense of wealthy households and large corporations.
  3. Trump’s polices will result in slower growth and less jobs, and will benefit the wealthy and corporations due to tax cuts, while increasing costs for most Americans through impact of trade policies, and reduction of services used mostly by low and middle-income households.   Furthermore immigration reductions will impact the growth rate as we approach full employment and the impact of age demographics in the US are felt in the middle of the decade.
  4. The overall economic advantages of a Biden win and Democratic sweep results in a better performing stock market in the long-run because of the improved economy, and spending capacity of middle-income families.  This outweighs the normally expected impact of taxes on the corporations, and wealthy, because the wealthy are not likely to significantly change their spending and corporations will ramp up with the help of low interest rates to meet additional demand, resulting in improved profitability.

I hope this is useful as you consider the facts and policy differences of the two candidates for President.

Blog

Trump, the Anti-Commander-in-Chief

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You know, I was so disgusted when I initially heard that Trump was not attending a visit to the cemetery in France to commemorate the end of World War I and importantly to honor the 1800 United States Marines that died in battle at Belleau Wood who are interned in the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris.  This was November 2018. Now the reports and the quotes from that time are even more disgusting and sickening.  He would not go to the cemetery, not just because of the rain.  At the time it was said that the Marine 1 could not fly, and the Motorcade would not be possible.   These were lies.  The reality is that it would be bad for his hair, and as he was quoted as saying, “Why should I go there, they were a bunch of losers”… Losers to die for their country, to fight and die bravely.
Those of you who continue to support this president, please know exactly who he is.  He does not respect our military, he does not honor our wounded veterans and fallen soldiers, he is a coward and lacks any semblance of empathy and honor.   If he does not have empathy for families of our fallen soldiers, and finds wounded veterans at parades as disgusting, and his opinion is that only losers and suckers serve in the military, then he is not eligible and not qualified to be our commander-in-chief.  He is the anti-CIC.
See the article in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/

Reprinted from this website, November 2018:

INCONVENIENT, LOGISTICS THEY SAID…

LEAVE A COMMENT EDIT

 

 

They Died at Belleau

 

Toward the guns they ran
All patriots to the last man
Dying as a million bullets flew
Fighting in the woods of Belleau
A century ago, the great war
They came to fight from afar
Inconvenienced in a great way
1800 died in the woods that day
Yet today’s leader wouldn’t face the rain
So, he sent others to salute without shame
An inconvenient 100-mile motorcade
To lay a wreath for those still there today

Blog, Poems

Publishing My Third Book

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Book 3, Self-Published

I used self-publishing saving much
But with no review, edit or such
It is there perfect, never trampled, pristine
Like powdered snow, that’s never been seen
Not a single comment, not a single buy
No publisher, no editor, no-one but I
To blame, and no value yet, not a single star
In a way it is absolutely perfect thus far 
Nothing but a feeling of completion for the third-time
Of my passionate thoughts and occasioned rhyme

 

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As One Convention Ends and The Next Begins

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Last night Joe Biden gave a great speech that demonstrated his ability to be emphatic, to unite, and to restore decency and respect to the Office of the Presidency.   This was culmination of a convention that appropriately demonized, and ridiculed Trump and his administration.  It appropriately showed the diversity of our country and it’s potential, as well as the great challenges ahead for us.   Correctly the Democrats presented the case for voting, voting in numbers that will make it impossible for Trump to claim that the election was fraudulent and thereby stay in power as the votes are counted and recounted for months or maybe longer, followed by court challenges that will suspend our democracy for an unknown timeframe.

My concern is that the American people already understand and know that Trump is not decent, is not truthful and is not traditional in any way we would recognize as a President of the United States… and pointing it out is like so what?   Those that will vote for him already know that… they say things, like I wish he wouldn’t tweet, but I like his policies and actions and they say they are afraid of what the Democrats will do, they fear the tax and spend, and emphasis on the Green Deal, and other demonized progressive policies.   They don’t adequately appreciate the tearing down of institutions that we really need, because the government bureaucracy doesn’t work anyway in their view… the reality is that it does, and it is working despite the constant and unwarranted onslaught from Trump’s administration.    The USPS is a marvelous and trusted institution.  It will resist, as it should, and Congress will not allow for the gutting of our institution of postal service.   It will be difficult but it will be OK and we the people will work around the problems to ensure our votes are presented and counted.

My worry is that although, Joe Biden will certainly be a President for the entire country, as opposed to Donald Trump who is a President for only his supporters… especially those that give him the adulation that a narcissist needs, and craves.   Joe must win.   But to win, Joe Biden and the Democrat’s must then address the concerns that all Americans have with real policies and plans.   What are the specific plans to address the pandemic? What are we going to do to get American’s back to work?  How and when do kids go back to school?  Is our food supply safe?  How will we assure our access to vaccines and pharmaceuticals?   How do we pay for everything?

I have no doubt that the Republicans next week in their convention will present that everything is coming back to normal, ignoring the depth of combined crisis of pandemic spread and death, job losses, economic ruin.   They will mirror the Democrats and  make it about personality and fear mongering that Joe Biden will let our cities burn in protest and rioting, and will increase taxes putting the economic recovery at risk…  Again, they will not have plans and policies to present.  If they did, it would be good, because it would cause the Democrats to respond and maybe, just maybe we could get back to debating and negotiating what a future could look like, and how we get there.

For me character, and intent matters, and I will vote for Joe Biden.  However the Republicans could play a great role yet, by making their convention about policy and plans and drawing a contrast between the two party platforms.  Sadly that won’t happen, and we will not get the benefit of future debates on the things that do matter for Americans.  To do so we would need two decent candidates that could be equally trusted.  Unfortunately we have only one.

 

Blog

Dad’s 1947 Ford Coupe

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Dad loves to tell us stories… last night he reminded us of one of my favorites.  I thought I would share it here, because it demonstrates the ingenuity of an earlier generation…. and it’s a great story.

Dad was an aircraft mechanic.  He specialized in oxygen supply for naval aircraft.   He grew up and lived close to where he was stationed at Grosse Ile Naval Air Station, just south of Detroit.  He used to like to say that he was station on an island 2000 miles from the West Coast!   That was true, but  that island was on the Detroit River!

He bought a 1947 Ford Coupe for $50… it was a simple car, no radio, no heater, just transportation.  It needed an exhaust system, that would have cost $35, and being the mechanic he was, he was not going to pay that price.  So he rigged up an Oxygen supply in the car and had an aircraft respirator in the car so he could drive it without  being asphyxiated when it was cold, thus allowing him to keep the windows up.


One early morning, long before dawn he was driving to the naval air station and crossing the bridge to Grosse Ile, the latch for the hood of the car released and the hood flew up and hit the top of the car, thus blocking his view and bending in the middle.  He stopped and tried to get the hood down but was unable.  Fearing being rear-ended on a foggy dark morning, he drove across the bridge with his head out the window.  Pulling over he climbed on top and managed to get the hood down and latched, all though with a crease in the mangled hood.   At the naval air station he got a heavy hammer and did his best to hammer the hood into place and make it look something like normal.  But the real ingenuity was yet to come.

Deciding that he no longer wanted to deal with this problem of a car, he decided to sell it.  As it was the day new recruits were arriving.   He decided to create one hundred one-dollar chances, and raffle the car off.  Guys were thrilled for a chance to win a car for a $1, some bought 3 tickets, some 5, but he sold all 100 tickets.   Dad was delighted to rid himself of the car and pocketed $100 for his $50 Ford Coupe.  The guy who won the car, was thrilled to get a car for a $1 ticket, complete with its own Naval Air Oxygen System.

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Slippery Slope…

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We have taken another step on the slippery slope in the journey from democracy to authoritarian rule.   We have seen the discredit of the free press, we have seen the efforts to shape the courts, we have seen and continue to experience the conspiracy theories borne out in the individual personality wrapped in paranoia that is beating back a supposed deep-state.  Furthermore, data and science and truth is lost to political context, everything is seen in the context of for or against.  Division is the state of the dis-union.  Now the next step, secret police.  Secret federal police, part of political theater.  In the context of “law and order”… neither is being achieved.  The law is broken, without accountability.  This is not policing, this is provocative theater, creating fear and division.   How can there be accountability when there are no name tags on paramilitary being deployed in the streets, completely unwelcome by the leaders of a community?  What do arrests mean, when there is no “lawful” authority established?   How can tear gassing mothers aligned to encourage peaceful protest and discourage violence be justified as a deescalation?  It is quite the opposite.   What about the video of a Navy Veteran being beaten and pepper sprayed because he asked to talk to the “secret police”, is this what we think democracy looks like?  Is this what we believe the right to assemble, and the right to free speech means?  And then who are these men in fatigues, with weapons and helmets that are part of this slide to authoritarian rule?

But let’s not mince words, because when combined with tolerance for neo-Nazi white-supremacist, it is clear that this slippery slope is really a backward slide toward fascism.

Beware the next steps: the intentional limitations on voting, the ratcheting of fear mongering, and then the final invalidation of democratic election results.
Wake-up America!

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Masks and Politics… who knew?

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How could Masks be so political?   Current polls show that 96% of Democrats wear masks, while 66% of Republicans wear masks… is Political leadership the cause of this, or is political bias the outcome of those considering if they should wear masks?

I think Mr. Trump should embrace Masks and save lives… He could have engaged his base with MAGA masks!  We all would benefit.

I think that Biden could have his own Biden Masks… we all would benefit.

Masks are uncomfortable, but a ventilator is far more uncomfortable, so much so that you must be in a coma to wear it.  I’d rather wear a mask and social distance.

 

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Silent Majority …

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What if the silent majority of this country, is not moved by divisive politics, what if the silent majority believes in the ideals of this country, and that All Men Are Created Equal, means that black lives matter too… and that we have been guilty of riding on the shoulders, and labors and suffering of those less fortunate, and what if that silent majority is really about advancing  humanity to a higher purpose and broad inclusion of what it means to be a member of society.  What if silent majority means being Christian in the sense of following Christ’s teachings and loving one another instead of hate and prejudice and abhorrent lack of empathy?  What if being of a silent majority means that we respect and honor those that worship and believe different than we do?  What if the silent majority says that it matters not who you love,  how you love, only that you do not hate.  What if the silent majority is in the streets demonstrating for justice?  What if they are in their homes, rooting for someone to help articulate that we want to be prosperous but not by pushing others down to lift ourselves up, but rather lifting all of us through education, through opportunity, through understanding and empathy.  What if we are no longer silent?