Inflation 2022: Craziest Inflation Advice EVER!!! But, Worth Reading

*Background: As anyone over the age of 40 expected, the real estate market has pushed back on two years of government regulations by gobbling up properties and turning them into rentals. The banks that finance such profiteering are absolved of any wrong doing by lending money to businesses without direct connection to individual transactions.   These are the methods that England used to wipe out the Irish and Scottish people that would come to Americas for a better life. They are the ways used during Reconstruction to further punish the South and it is the path of hands-off leadership that lead to the not quite so romantic days of the Roaring '20s with its high crime rate and out of control stock market.  

Now in a position of collusion with insurance companies, property owners, brokers and builders, these industries use computer generated statistics to elevate property values and justify rising rates.  Believing the government will again and again  bailout the industry, they are unconcerned about a second housing crisis and stock market crash.  What our capitalistic society fails to remember is that, at some point, the law of supply and demand is offset by the sheer ability to pay.  No amount of socialized income can satisfy the greed of those who believe they are entitled to more.  Entitlement is an attitude that infects all social strata, gender and religious backgrounds.  It causes abuse of the elderly, wipes out wealth with a single lawsuit or telephone scam and allows members of Congress to amass wealth by pushing programs which aid some but hurt many. Families must realize they have the power to say "NO!" in a loud voice, without protests or fighting and in an effective way that gives rise to fresh start for this country. Save rather than Spend. Avoid the Stock Market and be satisfied with security rather than the promise of a comfortable retirement.  It might be old-fashioned but relying on either party, Republican or Democrat, is the biggest risk to the American family.

 

sShhh!  This financial perspective is different than those offering "sound advice" about how to deal with the growing inflation problem.  Truly, some will think it is CRAZY! In reality, what so many economists and planners fail to remember is that the vast majority of American citizens make less than $100,000 a year and hey cannot afford to lose even on penny to inflation or stock market corrections. 

Gained from the experience of trying to start a family during the last inflation run in the late 70s and early 80s, this advice is meant to protect the family's cookie jar emergency fund as well as putting skids to inflation in a way that the federal gover nment cannot.  Consumers have all the power. I told you it was CRAZY! 

What is Inflation?

Technically, inflation is any time the price of something goes up AND the customer is willing to pay that price.  Inflation is not some theoretical given that is like the sun rising every morning. Inflation only happens when people are willing to pay the increase. It can be controlled. The interesting part of today's financial advice is that no one tells consumers that they are in control.  WHY? Because then companies would have to dip into profits rather than pinch pennies. Besides inflation looks like economic growth when election season comes around.

It wasn't until the Great Recession that those who lost big in the previous 30 years realized that people do not have to automatically respond to inflation by pinching pennies and doing without.  Instead, they learned to take control of their finances and not wait for a government bailout which would never come.  Rather than start spending and buying on credit which was what consumers were advised to do, this last recession lasted longer as a result off consumers controlling their spending. Even with war and natural disasters, inflation was held at a very low rate.

What Causes Inflation?

Any increase in money in the marketplace can cause inflation. It can happen locally when a large employer gives a big raise that coincidentally covers an increase in insurance. It can also happen nationally whenever there is a tax cut, spending bill or war which keeps government spending more than it takes in (romantically called printing money which was what independent banks did during the 1800s)

Interestingly, the last time the federal government had a budget surplus was during the Clinton administration with a national debt of $5.6 trillion dollars.  Since 9/11, every administration has had a war, financial crisis, natural disaster or other reason to pump money into the economy.  Today, the estimated $29 trillion dollar national debt is approximately 6 times what it was since 2000. This is the biggest cause of inflation. **Apparently Nancy Pelosi is coming out against this assessment in order to rally public support for a modified Build Back Better spending plan. She does not live paycheck to paycheck.

Like the period between, 1965 and 1982, this round of inflation has been coming for a while. It started with the War in Afghanistan, was fed by the housing crisis in 2008 and then topped off with the Trump tax cuts intended to boost the stock market and big business. The Pandemic's generous stimulus policies coupled with business closures were just too much disruption for the economy to absorb.  Now with the promise of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and possible large spending bill on the horizon, only consumers have the power to keep inflation down.  It's clear the economy is more important that working America.

Curbing Inflation the Family Way

Consider this information before making any financial decision in the near future.

1. Always Pay Your Rent or Mortgage - No one bails out the individual family.  The moratorium on mortgage and rent payments may not be working out the way it was supposed to during the pandemic. Banks and real estate are big business, not community members like they were a hundred years ago. Even in the Great Recession there was little help for people behind on rent and mortgage payments. Make this a priority or move to a cheaper location. 

2. SAVE Rather than INVEST - Wherever there is a boom there is a bust and the only money that is secure is that which is kept in a Federally Insured account (FDIC).  What investment bankers fail to tell you is that you can lose as much as you put into a stock based 401K or mutual fund. They also do not tell you that one out of every four years (since 1980) has been a loss year.  Pension funds change. Employee stock options can be worthless. Only insured savings accounts limit inflation and risk.  Remember the stock value of a bankrupt company is close to zero.  Saving and paying down debt can give just as much of a net return as investing in high risk stocks.

3. Cancel Automatic Payments of All Kinds - We all have them.  Those online accounts and monthly or yearly subscriptions and payments that are just easier if the company takes care of them. Except that it's a good way to overspend. It doesn't matter what they are for--streaming services, charitable gifts, memberships or warranties, these costs drain money when you might need it for something like rent.  No one is saying to stop giving or watching--just change the way you pay for them with a cash limit debit card. Disconnect from you primary bank account and load money onto your payment card each month as you can afford it.  That goes for utilities as well. Only use your bank's payment system and follow a budget. Better to miss a month at the gym than lose your home or car.  

4. Reduce Insurance Coverage - The insurance industry has had a tremendous few decades and it has managed to use guilt and fear to keep families buying coverage amounts far greater than most need. Deleting duplicate and add on coverage you don't need (towing or rental when you have three cars at home) and raising your deductible can reduce costs without reducing the important coverage.   Contrary to what might be believed, it is unlikely that lawyers will go after cases which have little chance of payout. In other words, you increase your chances of being sued if you carry large liability policies or have big investment accounts. Check your policy regularly and do it online which is where more details are available. You may find that the company has "protected??" you by increasing coverage beyond reasonable amounts.

5.  Avoid Bulk Buying - This sounds counter intuitive but bulk buying leads to increased waste and encourages inflation by stressing he supply chain.  Buy only what you need. Part of the inflation mindset is to buy it now because it will cost more tomorrow. Costs will go down ONLY if consumers buy just what they need at a fair price.

 6. Pay Attention and Use Your Voice - Over the last two years, companies were more or less free to do as they wanted. Insurance and technology companies revamped policies and services. Manufacturers cut product lines. Start paying attention to what is different and accept you might have to look harder to get what you want. Read the bill BEFORE you pay it and ask questions. Evaluate products fairly rather than being nice especially on stores such as Amazon.  Complain to regulator and consumer protection agencies when a company has less than excellent customer service. The Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, state licensing bureaus and Federal Communication Commision, all, have online complaint forms.  Be specific and give details.  Standing up to a company can make the price go down quickly and it only takes one complaint to alert upper management that something is wrong locally.  Inflation is as much about consumers having confidence in their own powere as it is about actual cost increases.  

Recently President Joe Biden was asked WHEN WILL INFLATION STOP?  With the government stimulus packages just now ending, it is too soon to expect inflation to go down but a drastic change could come in as little as three months if consumers take charge and spend wisely. 

There is a difference in the way the President is handling the economy. While both Republican and Democratic leaders are clinging to old ideologies and solutions. Biden might be looking to do something unique and different.  Could restoring money to the Social Security Fund be in the cards or a balanced budget that doesn't constantly need influxes of cash?  Could the federal government treat all states equally for a change? Could federal regulation make sense to more than the 535 members of Congress?   Its hard to tell what the future has ahead of us. 

All the same, working families need to be prepared for what may come. They will survive as long as they pay attention and do what is best for the long haul.  

Headine Buster: CNN, CBS Swallow Mt. Everest "Melting" Study (UPDATED)

    *Recently, photos of glacier decay have been added to this story either by the institution or a reporter seeking to "prove" these observations are inaccurate.  See added section below

Date:  February 2, 2022

Agency: CNN, CBS, others - Story appears to be a press relaase

Headline:  Ice that took roughly 2,000 years to form on Mt. Everest has melted in around 25

Shame, Shame, Shame. As young journalists stake their careers on press release type stories that are dreadfully similar, they are not doing anything to raise the image of knowledgeable reporting in the industry. People, there is a great deal of hype out there about climate change, check your information before you do advocacy journalism. If you do not know what your writing, don't put your name on it.

Here's why this headline and the observations made in it are a misrepresentation of climate change.  

Permanence is NOT Natural - Since the development of photography in the years before the Civil War, the human psyche has accepted photography as definitive proof that something exists. All too often, particularly when reputations and publicity are involved, the photographs are staged or filtered in order to stand with the bias of the moment.  Countless photos have been taken to prove that climate change is destroying the planet--yet all that is really proven is that nature is constantly changing. Permanence is an illusion set by mankind who selfishly holds on to his buildings and monuments.  Nature has no such attachment and has been changing the landscape through erosion, wildfires, earthquakes and volcanic erupsions for thousands of years.  Photos only prove our human bias. 

Computer Modeling is NOT Real Science - In the same way that banks and credit agencies use computer data to determine who can and cannot get credit, programming by humans allows for data to be prejudicial even if it is factual.  Much of what is passed off as climate change science is based on financial and promotional agendas and not proven science. 

Research Studies are Higher Education's Marketing System- Generally part of a faculty members contract, professors are required to have Xnumber of studies or articles published each year. Add that matter to the fact that funding for such studies is coming from high profile donors or government grants and you get a double-whammy effect for climate change misinformation. Find a topic that the public or donor already believes in (such as the Bill Gates Foundation or the EPA),  design a field trip and salary that goes along with it,wite a long, detailed by favorable report and you have naive journalists spreading the word based on the institution's reputation alone. It''s all advertising. 

Glacier Movement / Melting is Normal - The formation, movement and breaking apart of glaciers has been happening for centuries. In geology terms it is one of nature's processes to recycle fresh water and minerals into the sea to keep it "salty". Any high school or freshman geology class will teach you that. Thousands of small pieces of glaciers break off each year and have done so for years Remember it was an iceberg that caused the damage to the Titanic in 1912 when the population of the Earth was a mere 1.8 billion people - a quarter of what it is today. Not everything that happens in nature is because of human interactions.

Awareness Gone Wrong - Before 1912, there was no record system for icebergs or their movement. Mariners simply knew to steer clear of waters where icebergs were frequently seen. The Titanic was taking a shorter, more dangerous route and going nearly full speed, in order to dock faster than scheduled.  Without historical data to support or refute current findings, it is natural to conclude that this phenomenon is "NEW" but in real time it has been quietly going on for centuries..

Nature Doesn't Keep a Schedule - Just because the human brain prefers order does not mean nature does. Scientists can create controlled experiments and make deductions based on those actions but it does not replicate 2000 years of history. As it states in the article, the installation of two self-reporting weather stations by this team was the FIRST of its kind.  Again with out records to refute them, the scientists guessed as to how much snow was deposited AND how much melted in each time period. 

Human Caused Climate Change:  Notice that these types of articles never pinpoint what humans actually do to cause this hypothetical situation.  The simple number of people who are success in reaching the summit of Everest is enough to alter the way the glacier might act.  In 1950, only six people succeeded in reaching the top.  In 2020 an estimated 400 people and their crews made the journey.  This was down by almost over a third from 2019.  Tourism numbers estimate 10,000 people make some part of the journey.  Vehicles, heaters, pack animals and more could heavily impact the formation of glacial ice.  Again there are no hard conclusions because there are no hard facts.

Climate change isn't a hoax. Nature is adapting to the artificial lifestyle we have created for ourselves.  Why should the fact that the World is changing concern us when it is what we wanted in the first place?

The Un-Democratic Nature of US Political Reporting

On January 20, 2021, Joseph Robinette Biden took the oath of office for the Presidency of the United States and in that moment became indirectly responsible for 330 million Americans regardless of who they voted for.  Like every President before him, he swore to uphold the law and protect all Americans. The question he likely asks himself now is How do I protect democracy from the very industry that has turned it into a mash up of polling points, societal  trends, and party loyalty? 

Today's media (social, advertising, print, radio, and television) needs to be "schooled" in what democracy is and how democracy works. Here are a few things they might have missed in their Civics class. 

What is Democracy?

First off, democracy is not about the individual but about a nation that chooses to live under one set of rules for the benefit of everyone. Presidential approval ratings are selfish reminders of what has divided this country. It is not whether people like Biden but whether they see improvement at the end of his four-year term. Shows like The View , Meet the Press and other opinion based talk shows encourage viewers to take a short term, me-me-me view of political problems that cannot be fixed with simple legislation.  Today's media should educate and explain while leaving personal preferences to what takes place in the voting booth.

Next, democracy is not about voting rights or filibusters but about how many people are on the the ballot. Coming from a monarchy, the founding fathers thought having any choice was a luxury. What good does it do to register more voters and make voting easier when there is only one name on the ballot?  No one is reminding Bernie Sanders that he pledged to start a grass roots organization dedicated to preparing candidates to take on the role of elected officials. The Obamas are not working to educate younger voters about how to evaluate candidates. Both parties sow party loyalty based on hot-button topics and push a leftover agenda from past administrations. As if time is stuck in some strange moment that long ago ceased to exist, Congress attacks problems with the same solutions that have been used for over 200 years. Not learning from the past, today's media worships the well meaning but untrained and clueless candidate. These overnight breakout successes like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kamala Harris and yes, Donald Trump, are better news stories than seasoned professionals that have worked their way up from local government.  What message does that send to voters, and is it really all that surprising that these STARS of the campaign trail fail to do anything more than make headlines? How does it feel to gaslight the public with a constant diet of celebrity-style hype and soft-ball questions?

Finally, democracy is not a popularity contest but about making informed choices without fear, peer pressure or manipulation.  Contrary to VP Harris's take on this country's standing as a free society, our simplistic form of government pales in comparison to some democracies.  While our government declares a winner and sets up a combative environment which rarely achieves much, other countries open the ballot to multiple parties and require the majority party to come to a consensus BEFORE the election is certified. Failure to do so nullifies the election and it begins again. As mass media focuses on the best news story and the most supportive advertisers, they fail to grasp how they warp the voting process in a way that is far more dangerous than requiring a picture ID or limiting voting hours. Their focus on an ever changing future robs the public of the present by distracting them from what is important in the here and now. That isn't democracy. That's propaganda. 

A Bit of History

President Biden is not the only president to be concerned about the integrity of the American election process.  

In March of 2001, just three months after Al Gore lost his final 2000 election challenge, former President Jimmy Carter received the first Jonathan Myrick Daniels '61 Humanitarian Award, at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington VA.  

For a small town reporter, this was a once-in-a-lifetime event.  As Carter explained his work establishing democratic governments around the world, he made a simple but blunt statement about the condition of American elections.  Whether it was part of his acceptance speech or the questions he answered following the ceremony, I do not remember but he very clearly stated his organization would not take on the American political process because it failed to meet the high standards that his group had for democratic leadership. It was such an unexpected and confusing comment that many compared notes before reporting it to readers.  I have no way of knowing if he changed his assessment of this situation or not.

Twenty years and five national elections later, the United States has failed to make any meaningful changes in the political process-- a process that benefits the few and subjugates  the many. Carter, in being a single term president, knew, all too well, the role that television and political reporting had in putting a Hollywood actor named Ronald Reagan in the White House. The same frenetic focus on poise and photo-ops overshadows today's political reporting. Carter brought peace to a region of the World, even for just a short time. Reagan took a global energy crisis and inflation and turned it into a massive change in the tax code that the country has yet to recover from. Which was better?

If journalists want to champion democracy instead of damage it, they need to change their focus from agency ratings, high dollar salaries, Twitter followers and website clicks and begin doing the hard work of report the ugly reality of the election system. Here are a few questions they might begin to ask. 

1. Why is the United States one of the few countries that allows political organizations and fund raising to be considered non-profit or charitable organizations?

2. What percentage of PAC funding goes into supporting the candidate, family and staff? (Remember John Edwards and his hair cuts?)

3.  Is the minimum support rule required to enter debates a form of voter suppression because these events choose to squash the viewpoints of people who mainstream media doesn't give the time of day?

4.  Explain to the public the difference between the one vote-one person process that occurs on election day and the loosely monitored polling methods used through social media. There is no comparison and the results amount to misinformation and voter manipulation. Will agencies be embarrassed to admit they are not a fair representation of national demographics?

Before criticizing any elected officials, media has an obligation to make sure their findings are as objective and factual as possible. Like CEO who blames everyone else for the company's failures, Congress encourages mass media to distract the attention from their irresponsibility. Perhaps that is what voters should understand is the real form of voter suppression.  

Hey, Senator Romney: What's Wrong With "Transforming America"?

Because of host Chuck Todd's rather personal take on the three big news topics (Politics, Climate Change, and Covid-19), my direct knowledge of Meet the Press has dropped off dramatically during the pandemic. It seems I should have been watching on Sunday Morning (1/15/2022) as Senator Mitt Romney offered his insight into President Joe Biden's "bad year". 

Presumably feeling he could speak for the entire population, Romney commented to the show's viewers that Biden was not elected to "transform America".  With all due respect Senator, that is exactly what so many of us did expect and if the two political parties stopped thinking that elections were all about them, they would have realized that "transformation" is exactly what voters have wanted for three decades.  Normal is a dysfunctional group of 535 individuals that simply go from one election campaign to another.  Each time, the hope of America is that we have elected someone with the creativity and skill to ditch the jobs mindset from FDR's passe New Deal era. Biden understands that he needs to go big or go home.  It is our two party system that keep refuses to be creative enough to make that happen.

The "Crazies" Are Loose in Congress

From the perspective of a Washington outsider, each party has its share of "crazies" as you have tagged those who fail to adhere to the status quo.  Have you not realized that Nancy Pelosi has been like a woman possessed in her mission to do anything that would go against a Republican agenda. There is no civility, cooperation or even thought about anything but how to get back at the other side. That's not normal. That's pathetic.  

Americans Deserve More than "Normal"

This country achieved zero unemployment in the mid-1960s. Instead of shifting to higher wages, less production and fewer work hours to keep the numbers up, the country did what it had always done--opened the borders to immigrants willing to work for less.  The result was the same as it had been the 1800s. Racial unrest, political division and a working class that was hard pressed to develop wealth.  Biden repeated that pattern because his party insisted on it. It is not anymore popular with the public now than it was in the 1960s.

This oppressive jobs mindset is not new. Congress applauds companies who are innovative in their business models but refuses to make it part of the overall fabric of working America.  Unable to recognize that voters say they want jobs because that's all they know, elected officials prefer to secure their political positions and focus on wealth creation even though it only exacerbates the problem. 

What Might Transformation Look Like?

It is time for both parties to focus on their country instead of elections. Is winning or losing an election really all that important?  Consider being a responsible leader and work on the following. 

• Praise the States (Yes, all of them) - The Federal government has pushed their responsibilities onto the state and local government for years. It then criticized them for dealing with the challenge in their own way. The states got us through COVID, not the federal government. Change Congresses attitude and you might get more cooperation.
• Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment - The Federal government's focus on protecting tiny sectors of the population increases division. Both parties do it. Republicans protect religions, big business and gun rights. Democrats protect ethnic groups, poverty (yes poverty not those who are impoverished) and cities. No one protects the average citizen who does the work and keeps this country going. Congress created this divided public, they need to come together and signal that they will protect us all. 
  
• Fix the Immigration problem - Bringing in immigrants as a labor source to undermine the rest of the population was heinous a century and a half ago. It still is. Abusing them to keep profits high and labor costs low is not admirable. As for DACA, that is an easy fix if you would just do it (See DACA Citizenship: It Could Have Been So Easy )
• Regulate, Don't Legislate -  While Congress is spending time debating laws we don't need, the federal government fails to do what it was suppose to do--keep us honest.  Renaming mountains does not improve the environment. Recalling thousands of pounds of foods and drugs for a misprinted label does not make us safer. It makes us poorer--both in spirit and financially. Regulatory agencies long ago became instruments of economy growth. It now falls to citizens to  stand up for themselves against businesses Congress promoted.  Protect consumers instead of turning safety into an economic policy.
  
• Stand Up to the Climate Change Lobby- Climate change is a direct result of the World using the environment as a revenue stream.  The EPA has been more responsible for changes in the atmosphere than any carbon-based molecule (See  Air Pollution's the Answer: How Clean Air Policy Compromised the Planet and Public Health )
• Stop Worrying about the Stock Market- The Stock Market does not put food on the table or educate children to with real information.  Before the Stock Market became the ruler by which economic growth was measured, banking favored local depositors. Now they are almost an inconvenience.  Switch focuses and inflation will drop.  
  

If Republicans and Democrats were to come together and change their focus to lifestyle rather than wealth, America would be transformed. Biden has the negotiation skills. Are you and your fellow Republicans willing to be part of the process?  

Voting Rights 2022: Senators, Do You Know What You Are Doing?

Update: 1/18/2021 As the Senate debates voting rights, advocates are rushing to provide documentation that the US is on the verge of another election crisis. Published findings vary based the biases of the news outlet or advocacy group.  It is interestingly that states listed as "Restrictive" make up less than 20% of the country.  In most cases, what classifies as "Restrictive" is how convenient elections are not how fair or secure the process. Unlike the Jim Crowe era, property ownership, literacy, ethnic background and gender are not cited by any of these studies as factors for denying the right to vote.  The danger to democracy is making voting so simple that it becomes meaningless. 

With millions (if not billions) of pages on record that detail how all levels of government work, it is understandable that the average citizen has a minimal knowledge of the rules. Nevertheless, the founding fathers anticipated that unintended consequences were a very real possibility in a representative democracy. Generally speaking, a handful of statutes meant to protect elected officials from honest mistakes, now, seem to contribute to the gridlock, financial obsession and poor decisions common in Congress.  

As President Biden lobbies for another landmark (???) voting rights bill, the question has to be "Do Senators know what they are doing AND what might be the negative impact of this legislation on future elections?"  History tells us, good legislation comes from forethought and consensus, not deals. Bad legislation comes from quick action, personal agendas and legal protection that make officials brazen and irresponsible. 

Why Support the Filibuster?

For discussion here, the  provision of executive privilege (also known as qualified immunity) and a thinly worded non-binding clause that releases future officials from maintaining laws which are no longer financially or socially viable come to mind. Together these two provisions have been held up in the courts to the point that officials cannot be held accountable for much.  It is the provision of qualified immunity that appears to have emboldened several republicans to take actions meant to decertify several state and local elections.  With a do-over clause firmly in the hands of any future official, current officials all too frequently feel justified in passing questionable and often unnecessary legislation for special interest groups.  

In the end, it is the filibuster that only stands between a power driven political party (Democrat or Republican) and serves the majority of American interests. 

Shaming is NOT Professional Behavior

Since the quick demise of the Build Back Better spending package just before Christmas, high ranking Democratic leaders including the President, Vice-President and both Congressional leaders have chosen to resort to the unprofessional teenage tactic of shaming the American people.  VP Harris first told the country it would no longer have the respect of the World and then yesterday, voiced what seemed to be a personal admonishment of stubborn members of congress. Neither plays well for a country that has listened to this prattle for the better part of six years. Threats and recriminations by Schumer, Pelosi and Biden have done little to move the discussion to a more amicable tone. 

New York Times Photo

Blank Check Legislation

While polls are not concerned about Why? Biden's administration has such low polling numbers, this average citizen would say a contributing factor is a "Blank Check/ Trust Me" mentality.  Far too many pieces of legislation are passed without taking the time to discuss how they would work.  This Voting Rights bill as well as the other bills which have foundered during this past year all seem long on promises and short on details.  Some outcomes are a given and are likely to cause widespread difficulties for states which have a long history of fair and safe elections. It should be remembered that nearly three-quarters of the adult population voted in 2020 and no widespread corruption was found anywhere.  Those figures alone question whether this is necessary legislation or just political posturing. 

Federal Micro-rmanagement is Costly and Ineffective

From the implementation of Environmental Protection laws and federally mandated education programs to administration of Medicaid, Welfare and Food Stamps, federal oversight has been costly and bureaucratically top heavy for states.  Rarely providing full funding for the programs that it institutes, local businesses and citizens pay more in local taxes in order to comply with the expense of paperwork and staffing. There is nothing in the Voting Right Act of 2021 that would not put additional burden on the states.  Here are some findings to consider before support a such Blank Check legislation. 

• Making Election Day a National Holiday will not change accessibility but could increase errors. Election officials, as government employees, would have the day off. Those that  are responsible for the security of the election process could open the door to countless challenges if they did not perform their duty. Is this a What was Congress thinking moment?
  

• Most polling sites are open at least 12 hours out of the day, some longer  There are very few people who cannot arrange their schedule to vote if they chose to do so. Remember 150 million people voted in 2020. 

• Mandating mail-in ballots for everyone is costly and time consuming. Mail-in ballots have the greatest chance of being mishandled as we saw in the aftermath of the 2020 election. 

• Many states already meet the minimum standard publicized by advocates of this legislation. As an accomplished negotiator, would it not be a better use of the President's time to target the few states who do not offer these provisions and move toward a common basis of understanding.  Why make all states suffer but allow more conservative states to come around to a more moderate in their own time. Residents of these states have the right to hold their own lawmakers accountable without intervention from the federal government.
  

From what seems to be in print, there is nothing in this bill that offers any real protection to voters that is not already available.  Why our elected officials feel the need to push their will on 330 million people when all that results is more problems makes little sense. American citizens are neither dumb nor mindless but they are tired of being characterized as bigots, racists, gun toting vigilantes, or uneducated puppets.  Until Congress shows respect for Americans and ignores the polls and studies, citizens will continue to be unimpressed with both political parties.  

January 6, 2021: Lesson for Those Pushing Federal Voting Rights Control

 ** This is a copy of a Letter to the Editor I sent to The News-Gazette in Lexington, VA (Published 1/13/2021).  In the last year, my viewpoints have not changed.  I still feel betrayed by the person that was duly elected by this locality.  While I did not vote for Rep Ben Cline, it is my fervent opinion that he owes me the same respect as those who voted for him. Having worked with Ben at the state level since he followed in  Bob Goodlatte's steps, it is this lack of respect for opposing side that keeps questioning this younger Republican. 

Twice in the last 20 years, Republicans were able to put their candidate in the White House without winning the popular vote.  I suppose they thought they could easily challenge the 2020 election to again tip the results in their favor. 

January 6th Capitol Riot Image

As the Senate leadership pushes for more federal control of national elections, January 6th is one of many reasons why the federal government should leave voting oversight to the states.  Not only was Donald Trump able to use his influence as President to enlist the help of hundreds of average citizens (believing they were doing the right thing) who now have federal charges against them, but he also convinced more than a handful of elected officials and government employees to abandon their oath and side--not for the good of the country--put for his personal gain.   Few know of the "delayed" stimulus checks that dropped into the accounts of new Social Security recipients on election day as if they were being bribed to vote in a set manner. Had it not been for state and local election boards who did their job according to the law, we might be in a very different place. 

Certainly changes to the Electoral College are long overdue, but control of elections should remain the  responsibility of the states  Voting should be easily accessible but it should not be easy to do.  A second layer of oversight will not make voting safer, but does have the potential to increase the opportunities of corruption. 

Dear Editor;

Today is January 6, 2021. It is early. I am worried. By the end of the day, will the USA still be the largest democracy on Earth or will it be the latest power to topple due to the efforts of a single charismatic person who has a fondness for power?

As Americans, we do not understand how close we are to losing our place at the top. We  have ignored a years-long, systematic  challenge to our election process with one and only one purpose in mind - to put a dictator in office.  I am ashamed to say that my representatives, State Del. Ronnie Campbell and Congressman Ben Cline, assisted this effort.

By definition, a dictator rises to power through unconventional or forced means and stays in power by keeping those who support him happy. Per Wikipedia, an estimated 50 countries are considered dictatorships. Leaders have titles such as President or Prime Minister. The countries have constitutions, elections, and regional and local governments - just like we do. The only difference is that, in some way, the one in power is able to control the outcome.

A month ago,  NBC12 affiliate in Richmond reported that Cline (6th House) was one of 120 representatives that signed on to a Texas-based Supreme Court challenge. SCOTUS made quick business of the case by saying it “has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections”.

On Jan. 5, WFXR.com reported that Campbell (Va 24th) had signed a letter to VP Mike Pence recommending the House throw out  Virginia’s election results. Such a challenge would also have needed the support of a US Senator to move forward which it do not have.

Neither action appears to be valid under scrutiny.  By supporting measures that have now been rejected by countless courts, the Electoral College and hopefully Congress itself, these two men have remained loyal to the party and its most conservative donors. At the same time, they have avoided the difficult decisions that are required of their office.  Is that what we voted for? Is being a successful public servant nothing more than promising action that is not allowed by law then saying “I tried”?

 

I suppose time will tell.

Media Bias: Would Lois Lane Approve of Modern Reporting

Sadly, the end-of-the-year news coverage trickles down to a steady stream of depressing media posts highlighting the many challenges humans have failed to solve in the previous year.  Regardless of whether it is a printed newspaper, daily news show or radio highlights, the focus is the same--a litany of barely resources articles aligned more with personal perspectives than real life concern.  As I scrolled through coverage by TIME, The Daily Beast, NPR (National Public Radio), The Hill, NBC  and others, a thought came to me. Would Lois Lane Approve of Modern Reporting? 

Original Cast Superman TV Series

While the iconic character has changed with the times (no flowered hat, tailored suit with floral hankie in the pocket and cute pumps for the CW's version in Superman and Lois), Lois Lane represents what good journalists once aimed to become.  From the time she first appeared in DC comics in June 1938, Lois might have been a hapless damsel in distress but she was anything but lacking in her skills as a reporter.  Often rescued because she did her job without fear, Lois shows a tenacity for the truth modern journalism rarely has.  With nothing more than a note pad and her own brain, Lois not only wrote her own copy but did the research and interviews necessary to check and double check the facts before going to press.  She understood her topic on more than a cursory level and would never have submitted a story that she, herself, could not defend.

My guess is that she would be greatly disappointed in an industry that now depends so heavily on TikTok, Facebook, and marketing press releases for content. She felt an obligation to the public and she would expect today's reporters to explain instead of repeating a political or socially accepted perspective.  She would expect reporting--not hearsay.

As the year ends, I can only imagine how Lois Lane would cover topics related to climate change and the pandemic.  Nevertheless, here are a few notes that might be in Lois Lane's notepad if she were reporting today. 

Covid -19

• Computerized records cannot tell the difference between a patient admitted for elective surgery or one needing treatment for Covid symptoms if both test positive for the virus.  This means hospitalizations based on simple data act as exaggerations of the pandemic and look worse than they really are/were. 
• There are 113 COVID-19 vaccines currently being developed worldwide.The three versions used in the US may not be the most effective, just the ones this administration has approved.
  
• As of December, 2021, the actual amount paid to pharmaceutical companies for pandemic supplies is unknown. In support of an already lucrative business, government expenditures to drug companies will likely rival the bank bailouts of 2008-2010 with no strings attached. 
• The Pfizer shot is nearly 4 times as expensive as the Johnson&Johnson shot but does not show any significally better control of the illness.
• There is no way to specifically tell how a person becomes infected with Covid. An air borne virus is just that--air borne. Persecution of the unvaccinated is like all prejudice--rooted in political hype and personal fear.  
  

Climate Change

• A 1.5 degree C difference is less than 3 degrees F. The rate at which ice melts at 35 degrees as opposed to 32 degrees is extremely slow. (Remember that Thanksgiving turkey that took a week to thaw out in your 38degree refrigerator? Enough said) Keep in mind that most of the world's glaciers and ice packs do not even reach 32 degrees-ever. 
  
• Bill Gates wants you to believe the 150 year old notes of a college profession as proof of global warming. He fails to mention that 2+ billion computers, which did not exist in the 1950s (climate change baseline), are giving off heat every time they are used. Which makes more sense--a tiny molecule of gas that has been around since the beginning of time or computers generating heat that has nowhere to go?
  
• According to product testing guides, an electric stove is less efficient and gives off more heat into the surrounding air than a gas stove.  And yet, gas stoves are being banned.
  
• There are an estimated 300 million street lamps which give off heat every night even if they are solar powered. Each gives off some heat increases the air temperature of the World.
  
• Any moving part causes friction and heat regardless of how it is powered. This heat dissipates into the surrounding air and raises ambient temperature. 
  
• An iceberg that breaks off from a glacier might not cause sea levels to rise because water takes up less space than ice. Since most of the iceberg is below water level it may simple disappear into the sea as it melts with little or no change in sea level.
  
• Wildfires started by poorly maintained electric lines, arson, or any human activitity are not climate change. Where electric lines have been put underground the incidence of wildfires and power outages have dropped dramatically
  
• Air conditioning and refrigeration work because they funnel heat to the outside.  Sounds like every time someone cools something they heat the outdoors.  

This year, channel the spirit of Lois Lane and question what TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and news sources tell you. The World will be a better place if we all search for the truth instead of accepting what is put before us.  Have a GREAT 2022!

Maurizio Buratti COVID-19 Bias: Daily Beast Headlines "Facts" Not in Evidence

* This article compares two reports of the same event. One is objectively detailed by a

Daily Beast Logo

European Fe News agency. The second is an updated version of a Daily Beast story that at first included no details other than to link the words anti-vaxxer, dies and Covid-19.  Links to both articles are at the bottom of the page as documentation for this review.  

It is bad enough that the American people have been subjected to a revolving door of conflicting information spread by its own government officials but when a reputable news agency like The Daily Beast chooses to taunt a dead man in hopes of shifting public opinion to a course of action that is as much supposition as fact, the result harms everyone, not just journalistic integrity. 

Opting for headlines rather than fact, even quality media outlets are now leaning into the repugnant practice of verbally hanging the body in the public square as proof that vaccines "save lives" and that vaccination is the only way out of this crisis (an opinion which is questioned by more than few well educated physicians).  Confusing their role in society with marketing or public relations, media has taken on emotion-based rhetoric akin to the old fashioned party line telephone line.  That in itself is dangerous on many different levels. 

According to both articles, an admitted anti-vaxxer, Maurizio Buratt, 61, was diagnosed with double pneumonia and died in a Verona, Italy hospital on December 28. Both state that Buratt stood by his anti-vaxxing position even after being admitted.  Neither article reports a positive COVID-19 test.  Only The Daily Beast article uses the Covid-19 term in its headlines as the cause of death.  

The ANSA article appears to have been researched and written by its own staff.  There is no reference to Twitter feeds or copying and pasting from another website.  On the other hand, The Daily Beast article comes almost entirely from two sources--the ANSA article and a local newspaper (Brescia Today). Interestingly, the local news account admits reporters had to ask the attending doctor repeatedly about COVID-19 before the doctor would "admit" to a COVID connection. As one reads the article however, the doctor's statement was to say it "seems" to be COVID--not to definitively label COVID as the cause of death.  Reporters apparently were looking for that phrase and targeted that information regardless of any other factors which might have come into play. 

Had The Daily Beast looked into the definition of "double pneumonia", it would have found that the condition can be caused by any thing that irritates the lungs to the point the body cannot remove fluid in a timely manner.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO),  an estimated 750,000 children died from pneumonia in 2019, the year before COVID hit. Causes listed on this website include multiple viruses, bacterial infections and even such common contaminants as mold or other fungi.  The webpage does not, however, mention adult pneumonia number but general figures found elsewhere report a case rate of between 15 and 20 cases per 100,000 people in industrialized countries **Italy would expect between 9000 and 12000 cases each year. 

Then there is he habit of news agencies going for the popular conclusion and skipping over other more relevant information. How often do reporters ask any other question that might change the viewpoint of the reader?   Did Buratt have a health directive that prohibited treatment that might have  saved his life? Was Buratt on any of dozens of medications that compromised his immune system? Were there any other health issues that came into play in his anti-vaccine beliefs?  And finally, was his "Communist" comment about healthcare an actual judgement of today's health care system or a cultural ideology left over from Italy's 20 year period of Fascist control?  The story isn't complete until these questions are considered.  To condemn a man for his beliefs without understanding his motivation is not just bad journalism but the sign of a closed minded industry. 

Too often in this political climate, it is the narrow-minded focus of major media that seeks to steer public opinion in one direction regardless of its basis in fact. Only when the news is reported objectively does it serve to educate the public rather than subdue it. 

ANSA News Article (Rome)

 The Daily Beast Article

NBC's Climate Clique: A Future of White Christmases

CNN White Christmas Map

** Several days of snow since Christmas.  It's all in about perfect conditions not the calendar. This year is was just a little late.

More like a high school clique than a knowledgeable group of writers looking to spread good news on Christmas, NBC's climate change reporters share more similarities with the popular kids' table than many would like to admit.  We have all seen it and some of us have even been a part of that highly restrictive, narrow-focused mindset that feigns superiority while being ignorant of even the basic principles of good form. Thursday's Future White Christmas coverage during the NBC Nightly News airing was not only disappointing in its timing but also wildly prejudicial in blaming the unseen and undefined evil of our time--Climate Change.  

Declining White Christmases--Truth or Hype?

Climate change coverage today is a popularity game. There are three things you must have to be considered an enlightened media source. Those three things are simple: 1) Do not offer any scientific explanation, just trends 2) Use math to make things seem awful 3) Find an expert who belongs to the same doom-n-gloom club.  NBC does that very well. It is a shame they are not interested in looking at climate change as a function of changing times rather than the end-of-the-World scenario that gets viewer attention. 

Read on if you would like to get some relevant information that explains why different locations may or may not see snow for Christmas. 

A La Nina Year

On October 14, 2021, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) announced the official presence of the La Nina phase in the Pacific Ocean. La Nina years typically mean warmer and drier weather during the winter months for at least the lower half of the country.  Regardless of climate change, these years have always meant a year with little or no snow for many locations. NBC is well aware of this phenomenon and reported on it in October.  Instead of explaining that La Nina was going to make it more difficult for snow to form, this reporter went to the blame-climate-change format and took the easy, and politically correct, way out. 

Math Misused

To be expected, the reporter and expert compared trends by referring to mathematical differences between now and the 1980s.  Acknowledging that in 1980 ( which just so happens to be one of the most erratic weather years on record), half of the country saw snow while only 40% of the country now enjoys the event, the viewer is left with the impression that the country is losing our White Christmas legacy. While technically correct, using math as factual proof of climate change without understand how those numbers were obtained, amounts to spreading misinformation no matter how accurate the computation. Interestingly, several media outlets have published similar articles based on a NOAA press release which manipulates the number even further to tug at the emotional heartstrings of readers.  (Reminder: President Biden's climate change funding is being held up at the present time and NOAA may have written the piece in support of this funding)

Snow: A Fickle Flake

If you live in the band of the country where the Jet Stream moves up and down on a regular basis, your understanding of weather and climate change is completely different than those who live in the upper Northeast, the Pacific Coast and the Gulf Coast.  You learn early on that snow only happens under the right conditions and it is temperamental a best.  Just the right combination of air movement, temperature and moisture are needed.  If that doesn't sound like a rarity, factor in the weaker upper atmosphere that is the result of Clean Air policies and mining of gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide for use in the healthcare, cryogenics and food storage industries.  You see snow only occurs in the upper atmospher and when there isn't enough movement and moisture WAY up in the atmosphere, snow simply doesn't have the chance to form.  The future of our White Christmas may have more to do with how strictly the EPA regulates the atmosphere than anything else in the environment. 

Human Interference

 Have you heard the phrase "Comparing Apples to Oranges"? It generally means that people try to treat difference situations as the same (Apples and Oranges are both fruit) when they are basically very different (applies are many different colors, Oranges are. . well. . orange. You get the drift).  This happens all the time with climate change studies which from a science perspective makes most of the findings invalid.  These interesting facts show how we, as in humans, are likely more to blame by our simple presence than any weather related reason for a reduction in snow fall. 

1. One third of the US population wasn't here in 1980. That's 100 million people who are giving off heat in an environment that has not changed that much. A simple one degree increase in ambient air temperature because of all those people would be enough to disrupt snow production. Sad but true.
   
2. There are 80 million more vehicles giving off heat, regardless of fuel source, than 40 years ago. That is in addition to the approximately 175 million cars, truck and other vehicles that were in use in 1980.  A bit of additional heat is the difference between beautiful snow and cold rain. 
3. The increase in buildings needed to accommodate 330 million people that now call the United States home extends into places that have never been used for homes before.  Buildings, like people and cars, give off heat and can warm the air near the ground causing any snow that does form to melt before it reaches the ground.  Larger buildings such as warehouses, high rise apartments and office buildings can break the flow of air that is necessary for crystals to form.  Progress comes with a cost.  

In Conclusion

By now, you are beginning to see that what authority figures and advocates call climate change might just be unrealistic expectations.  The world of fifty years ago was fundamentally different because there was less of all the things mankind must have to survive. The additional 4 billion people of the world have done nothing wrong  There is a price that mankind has paid in poorer health, less wealth and more chaotic lives because of our dependence on every convenience. That price includes less chance for a White Christmas in many areas of the country.  All we have to do to bring it back to reduce our heat signature (not related to carbon footprint) and welcome a more simplistic lifestyle.  

Regrettably, NBC, other media outlets and most of all our government is more interested in economic growth than bringing back predictable weather.  More is the shame that like high school, the kids at the popular table, make life miserable for the rest of us. 

Build Back Better 2022: A Future of Waste and Demolition

 Reminder: This Blog does not support Nikki Haley, Donald Trump or PACs for either party for election in 2024. Any use of this material to do so is done without the consent of the author.

** As of 1.19.2021, Biden has pledged to break BBB into sections. This is encouraging news for inflation and a test of how well the federal government meets its obligation to discuss, cooperate, and plan its actions.
**Written just hours before Senator Joe Manchin pulled the plug on BBB, this article is still very relevant as 2022 approaches. There is no question that this administration will lean into efforts to restore this spending package for no other reason than to say "WE DID IT".  It will not bring America Back (Excuse me? Did it go somewhere?).  It will send it further down the dangerous path of a country living on debt and  ignoring its failings.

 Like the French Revolution, the Fall of the USSR and a half dozen modern countries that have experienced financial collapse as the result of exceedingly high inflation and government inefficiency, it doesn't take a doctorate in Economics to see where BBB will take us.  Every household in America knows what comes from spending more than you have.  The United States is not immune to financial difficulties any more than its massive health care system save 800,000 people from dying of COVID-19.  American families should take steps to prepare for the unexpected.  It's not fear but good sense to take care of your household even if the government doesn't take care of theirs. 

And there it is again! Another politician tossing a line to see if he can reel in support for a political agenda.  With approval for the massive spending bill questionable with citizens, the next place to gain support is from local governments.  While it should not surprise the American people that this still occurs, it continues to be a disappointing feature of a Congress that is more concerned with its personal legacy than the welfare of its citizens.

This morning, President Joe Biden announced a plan to replace municipal water lines commonly called "lead" pipe in the United States.  With nothing more definitive than stronger EPA regulations, a ten-year goal and monies diverted from existing budget lines, the assumption is that those in fear of costly repairs may swing support to Biden's massive spending plan. 

With Biden's focus clearly on special interest groups in his first year, only 7% of all Americans are impacted by high lead levels in water according to the EPA website(15 to 20 million people).  Change the numbers to sections of pipe or distance and the task seems far grander than it is. Still, the potential is there that this move could lead to a decade or more of demolishing the old and re-landscaping every lawn and public served by public water lines.  Leave it to a politician to use a bulldozer and the law to handle a problem that could be solved with a bit of ingenuity and resourcefulness. 

Is Lead Really All THAT Dangerous?

Like most natural substances, lead is beneficial in many situations.  Once believed to be an ingredient in gold because of its weight, softness and resistance to corrosion, lead was one of the first metals used by mankind. Its only danger is when it is ingested in large amounts over a long period of time.

It is true that the metal is so popular that it has been used in many ways that it probably shouldn't have been.  Added to gasoline to stop 'knocking' in early engines, lead changed into lead oxide during combustion and became a primary component of air pollution. Used in early cooking utensils, as water and food storage containers, for children's toys and even house paint, lead quickly found its way into the human body with negative results.  The good news is that blood levels of lead in Americans have dropped by 90 percent since it was declared hazardous in the 1970s (NPR.org, Before it was Dangerous)

NJ.com photo

 

Cost vs. Benefit

But the material cost and labor needed to "dig up" every pipe in America that contains lead is far more invasive than even this country can imagine.  Under the direction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a condition that has already been heavily mitigated as evidenced by blood tests and one that currently--by its own estimates--impacts less than 10% of the population, could suddenly expand to overly cautious levels. Depending on how the term "lead" is defined, the Federal government could condemn every building constructed before l960 when pipes were first coated with a zinc solution that keeps lead from leaching into the water.  Simply designating an area as one of high lead content could reduce the value of homes, hold up the sale of such properties or force renovations by homeowners who might not be permitted to connect lead-based plumbing to the newer approved systems. The unintended consequences such as removal of mature landscaping and destruction of sidewalks and roadways could well outweigh the expected benefits. 

With all due respect, Mr. President. Is this about improving the health of a truly disadvantaged group of people or diverting funds to create infrastructure that artificially inflates economic growth and employment numbers. 

The Political Value of Building

As a new country plus 200 or so years, the act of building has been the hallmark of America's national economy. Unlike Europe, Asia, India and the Middle East, the New World had land and no restrictions on how to use it.  Settlers built homes, road ways, industries and railroads without so much as a thought as to what might happen when the  population required more resources than could be individually attained.  That tipping point happened decades ago for this country's oldest cities.  Still, the overwhelming political viewpoint of Congress since the end of WWII is to tear down and build back, whether it is better or not. 

Waste as an Economic Initiative

Behind closed doors, economists and stock analysts support corporate inefficiency, large infrastructure projects and natural disasters. Called the "Broken Windows" principle, undesirable conditions, such as aging improvements, weather disasters, climate change and poor management, keep the economy going even though wealth and security are lost.  Both Biden's Infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better bill are based on replacing what this administration deems "broken" even if nothing is actually gained by the expense. Even sadder is that those communities and private citizens which acted responsibly will realize their efforts were wasted and unappreciated in the fight for federal funding that is sure to continue.

As Congress adds an additional $2.5 trillion dollars to the debt limit of this country, it is time to remember that not all improvements bring about a higher quality of life for the average person.  Feelings of safety and security do not come from gadgets and gizmos. Trust in leaders is not founded on a president who creates fear and anxiety to increase his statistical record for the history books.  Replacing all the lead pipes in America will be considered a great accomplishment--except to the minority who will suffer damage to their properties in the name of progress.  That is the minority that never seems to matter to a politician.