And if the Republicans have their way, income inequality will continue to grow across the USA.
March 29, 2019
By Ron Walker
The ride from Flint, Mich. (click here) to the Detroit airport took Demario Davis only about an hour.
But for Davis, it felt more like he had traveled from one side of the world to the other.
Things in Flint were much different from Detroit, or anywhere else for that matter, the New Orleans Saints linebacker has ever traveled.
"It was unbelievable," Davis said in a phone interview on Thursday.
"You just can't believe this is happening in America. You hear about people not having healthy drinking water in other countries. It felt like we had left a different country because when we got to Detroit, we could drink the water. We couldn't do that in Flint."...
I really think Americans have to recognize the gross difference in the quality of life that exists within the USA and call it what it is America's Third World.
Today, we put fancy words around it, like "Environmental Justice." It is actually environmental injustice. Yes? The reality of the circumstances is that a growing number of Americans are falling short of quality of life issues. I think the USA needs to address what quality of life is. It is a nice saying, "Quality of Life." It also lends itself to political exploitation.
Politicians will get away with all kinds of "talk" if they can say, "American has the greatest quality of life than any other country on Earth." As an overall view, that is probably true, but, when we look at communities like Flint, there isn't the quality of life many Americans have today, they have Third World quality of life.
Some time ago, John Edwards stated there were two Americas. That was a long time ago. There has been no appreciable change in that.
What Demario Davis encountered an hour from Detroit's airport was complete exploitation of a community that included contaminated water. Why? Why was Flint allowed to have contaminated water? Why? BECAUSE those people didn't matter to their government. The local government that maintained very good drinking water in Flint was made silent by a Governor that saw injustice, but, it was taxation injustice.
See, the problem with the Flint prosecutions to date is that Snyder was very successful in pointing to everyone else besides his own bigotry and racism. Snyder's bigotry involves a begrudging of paying taxes. His wealth was "going down the drain" because of taxes. He has say over making his wealth, why didn't he have say over the way it was spent when he paid taxes?
That is Trump's issue as well. I think if one speaks to any million-billionaire they will say they hate paying taxes because it goes to people that can't get their act together and get out of poverty. In other words, Snyder didn't see the people of Flint worthy of any water except what came out of the Flint River. He also didn't see the need to pay for water treatment because Flint was in debt and needed to pay its bills first, regardless, of robbing the people of Flint their MINIMAL quality of life.
See, the demands of human health and HEALTH SAFETY in the USA include the very basics of life; like water quality. So, in communities across the country, there are rules that require high quality of water. Now, I am not saying it is happening to the degree it is supposed to happen, but, there seems to be more compliance with quality water than not in the USA. In the case of Flint, before Snyder decided money and paying bills was more important than human life, it had good water quality. Some of the quality water lead to indebtedness that caused some of the problems in Flint. But, making people drink untreated water is not the answer to paying bills.
What Demario Davis witnessed in Flint was Snyder's racism and bigotry. Snyder's governance included punishing people for being poor and making him and his friends pay, in their opinion, unnecessary taxes.
The community of Flint had been suffering from an economic crisis brought on by the closing of car factories. However, the quality of water was never in question, until, Snyder made his decisions to assault poor minority communities. Not one of the communities in Michigan that was taken over by Emergency Managers were primarily Caucasian. That should have been a CLUE to Snyder to the extent these communities have been NEGLECTED in the economic collapse that occurred in Michigan. But, he didn't see it as a symptom of Michigan's collapsed economy, so much as a disease of lack of initiative of these minority communities. As far as Snyder was concerned the white guys didn't have these problems.
So, when the people of Flint FINALLY had a couple of champions in the way of a pediatrician and a college professor, the rest of the country was appalled and disgusted with the idea the children had damage and the older folks died of Legionnaires' disease. To the rest of the country, regardless of their own economic standing, Flint was an abomination and completely anti-American in its governance.
Flint may have a unique situation in it's IMPOSED water problem, but, it was not unique in the negligence of governance at the state and federal level when it comes to minority communities. They are there to be found and they can be some of the most wonderful and deeply faithful people in the country. Their faith helps them cope with the neglect.
There is a lot wrong with Flint's immediate past. Seeing it through the eyes of someone that has never come face to face with America's Third World is as refreshing as it is stark. Refreshing because it says Americans have a conscience when THE TRUTH is important.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Trump's National Emergency
The monies being removed from the USA military budget to fund Trump's National Emergency is used to defeat the drug cartels. We know for a fact that when President Obama removed those funds from their purpose, the drug cartel problem because worse and even closer to the USA borders, both coastal and southern.
So, the entire idea of border security under ideologues is misconstrued and dangerous.
One might consider the national security of the USA from the hate mongering at Trump rallies more prudent. I understand Trump followers are CULT members and bizarre groups that traditionally in the past the USA has viewed as a threat. Trump's populism is dangerous and ridiculous.
During the Trump rally yesterday there were comments stating they believe Trump to be Jesus. Not a genius. Jesus. Their savior. I read it for myself.
So, the entire idea of border security under ideologues is misconstrued and dangerous.
One might consider the national security of the USA from the hate mongering at Trump rallies more prudent. I understand Trump followers are CULT members and bizarre groups that traditionally in the past the USA has viewed as a threat. Trump's populism is dangerous and ridiculous.
During the Trump rally yesterday there were comments stating they believe Trump to be Jesus. Not a genius. Jesus. Their savior. I read it for myself.
Secreatary Kirstjen Nielsen says immigration is at a breaking point.
Welcome to the USA, Ms. Nielson.
The Trump administration says these things as if it is new. This is not new. If Ms. Nielson would read into the history of immigration in the USA, she would find the number of immigrants, legal or otherwise has been much higher than the populations currently.
If she is referring to the USA southern border, the number of people coming to the southern border is a fraction of that even 15 years ago.
Get used to it. And to deporting minors, that is a very interesting idea, however, extremely flawed.
March 26, 2019
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen (click here) will ask Congress for the power to deport migrant children entering the country alone more quickly, according to a letter she is expected to send legislators Thursday night.
The letter, made public by NBC News, says Nielsen will also ask for authority to hold families who cross the border to seek asylum in detention until their cases are resolved and the authority to let immigrants apply for asylum from their home countries....
The two statements by Ms. Nielsen are contradictory. Now, either there is a crushing breaking point at the southern border or not. If Ms. Nielsen is stating she has the capacity to hold families for years at the southern border until their status is decided, then there can't be a crushing immigration crisis at the southern border. The two statements IF said in the same breath make no sense.
...Nielsen writes that she will soon send Congress proposed legislation to “help address the root causes” of a spike in the number of migrants entering the country through the Mexican border — especially families entering together and children entering alone — which she describes as an emergency. She writes the DHS is “increasingly unable to uphold that responsibility (to secure the border) given the emergency situation. We are grappling with a humanitarian and security catastrophe that is worsening by the day, and the Department has run out of capacity.”...
Secure the border from what? Families with children and unaccompanied minors? What exactly is the danger from these people?
Ms. Nielsen obviously is not good at humanitarian aid to the incoming border crossers. See, if she was able to process the people and then release them, there would be no humanitarian crisis. Why that seems absurd, they would enter the country and still have a humanitarian need. True. But, the infrastructure at the USA southern border that provides legal help and humanitarian assistance is incredible. Primary, non-profits and many affiliated with FAITH BASED organizations take over where the USA government leaves off.
CATCH AND RELEASE, MS. NIELSEN.
It is a concept that has worked for decades. DETENTION CAMPS don't work, they CAUSE a humanitarian crisis.
Unaccompanied minors are some of the saddest scenarios seen at the USA southern border. If the USA were to simply SEND THEM BACk, the minors would be in far worse condition than when they arrived at the USA southern border. Most of the minors arriving to the USA southern/Mexican border left their parents or families behind to come to the USA. Those families could be dead by the hand of drug cartels or simply unable to protect them from the drug cartels, so the families encourage these young people to run and find a safe haven.
Now, if Ms. Nielsen succeeds in SENDING THEM BACK she will create a humanitarian issue in the originating countries.
So, therefore, Ms. Nielsen needs to come up with a better and more expedient PROCESSING REGIME or she needs to begin to work with other countries to BUILD ORPHANAGES that are secure from drug cartels in the countries of origin.
If Ms. Nielsen is able to provide secure orphanages in other countries, then she may actually have solved the existence of drug cartels.
Ms. Nielsen needs to examine the number of times these same children are abducted and trained as child soldiers by the drug cartels because that is why the families are sending them north. Once she secures an understanding to the humanitarian crisis IN THE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN caused by these cartels, what will she do about it? Declare war? Against whom? The country of origin because they can't control violent drug cartels in their countries?
The entire idea of CONTROLLING the USA southern border is bizarre and UNATTAINABLE no matter how one tries to tackle the issue. The issue is NOT SECURITY, it is how are these people processed once discovered at the USA southern border and what humanitarian assistance do they need, including legal help because they are now in trouble, once they are decided to be peope without a criminal background.
CATCH AND RELEASE, Ms. Nielsen is the only viable solution. After pretending over two years there is a security issue at the USA southern border (which has been pursued at enormous cost, even insulting the military budget) one would think the ideologues of the Trump White House finally figured it out.
The Trump administration says these things as if it is new. This is not new. If Ms. Nielson would read into the history of immigration in the USA, she would find the number of immigrants, legal or otherwise has been much higher than the populations currently.
If she is referring to the USA southern border, the number of people coming to the southern border is a fraction of that even 15 years ago.
Get used to it. And to deporting minors, that is a very interesting idea, however, extremely flawed.
March 26, 2019
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen (click here) will ask Congress for the power to deport migrant children entering the country alone more quickly, according to a letter she is expected to send legislators Thursday night.
The letter, made public by NBC News, says Nielsen will also ask for authority to hold families who cross the border to seek asylum in detention until their cases are resolved and the authority to let immigrants apply for asylum from their home countries....
The two statements by Ms. Nielsen are contradictory. Now, either there is a crushing breaking point at the southern border or not. If Ms. Nielsen is stating she has the capacity to hold families for years at the southern border until their status is decided, then there can't be a crushing immigration crisis at the southern border. The two statements IF said in the same breath make no sense.
...Nielsen writes that she will soon send Congress proposed legislation to “help address the root causes” of a spike in the number of migrants entering the country through the Mexican border — especially families entering together and children entering alone — which she describes as an emergency. She writes the DHS is “increasingly unable to uphold that responsibility (to secure the border) given the emergency situation. We are grappling with a humanitarian and security catastrophe that is worsening by the day, and the Department has run out of capacity.”...
Secure the border from what? Families with children and unaccompanied minors? What exactly is the danger from these people?
Ms. Nielsen obviously is not good at humanitarian aid to the incoming border crossers. See, if she was able to process the people and then release them, there would be no humanitarian crisis. Why that seems absurd, they would enter the country and still have a humanitarian need. True. But, the infrastructure at the USA southern border that provides legal help and humanitarian assistance is incredible. Primary, non-profits and many affiliated with FAITH BASED organizations take over where the USA government leaves off.
CATCH AND RELEASE, MS. NIELSEN.
It is a concept that has worked for decades. DETENTION CAMPS don't work, they CAUSE a humanitarian crisis.
Unaccompanied minors are some of the saddest scenarios seen at the USA southern border. If the USA were to simply SEND THEM BACk, the minors would be in far worse condition than when they arrived at the USA southern border. Most of the minors arriving to the USA southern/Mexican border left their parents or families behind to come to the USA. Those families could be dead by the hand of drug cartels or simply unable to protect them from the drug cartels, so the families encourage these young people to run and find a safe haven.
Now, if Ms. Nielsen succeeds in SENDING THEM BACK she will create a humanitarian issue in the originating countries.
So, therefore, Ms. Nielsen needs to come up with a better and more expedient PROCESSING REGIME or she needs to begin to work with other countries to BUILD ORPHANAGES that are secure from drug cartels in the countries of origin.
If Ms. Nielsen is able to provide secure orphanages in other countries, then she may actually have solved the existence of drug cartels.
Ms. Nielsen needs to examine the number of times these same children are abducted and trained as child soldiers by the drug cartels because that is why the families are sending them north. Once she secures an understanding to the humanitarian crisis IN THE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN caused by these cartels, what will she do about it? Declare war? Against whom? The country of origin because they can't control violent drug cartels in their countries?
The entire idea of CONTROLLING the USA southern border is bizarre and UNATTAINABLE no matter how one tries to tackle the issue. The issue is NOT SECURITY, it is how are these people processed once discovered at the USA southern border and what humanitarian assistance do they need, including legal help because they are now in trouble, once they are decided to be peope without a criminal background.
CATCH AND RELEASE, Ms. Nielsen is the only viable solution. After pretending over two years there is a security issue at the USA southern border (which has been pursued at enormous cost, even insulting the military budget) one would think the ideologues of the Trump White House finally figured it out.
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