Politics
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Politics with Your Kids Prior to the 2008 presidential election, KidsHealth.org asked more than 2,000 kids and teens throughout the U.S. what they thought about the election and how it might affect them, if at all. A whopping 75% of kids and 79% of teens answered "yes" when asked whether they thought that the outcome of the election would change their lives. Nearly half of teens surveyed said that they believed they'd had at least some influence on their parents' choice of candidate. So, if you think your children are only interested in talking about kids' stuff, think again. What's On Their Minds? During election time, you can't walk down the street without seeing signs, bumper stickers, or ads for political candidates. Turn on the TV or radio or surf the Web and you're faced with an onslaught of images on everything from health care and the economy to war abroad and the energy crisis. As parents, we can't expect our kids not to be influenced by this media blitz. In fact, most teens who took our election poll in 2008 ranked talked-about issues — like gas and food prices, education, health care, war, and the environment — as "very important" to them. Knowing what kids think about these issues and how they might affect your family is important. Talking about it not only helps to promote learning and develop critical thinking skills, but also lets you clarify any misconceptions your kids may have or calm any fears about the future. Talk About It When discussing an election, talk about what you believe and why — and ask your kids what they think and feel. This shows that you value their opinions and want to hear what's on their minds. If their opinions differ from yours, that's OK. Use it as a teaching opportunity: Why do they feel that way? Can they come up with examples to support their view? Engaging kids in this way helps them to develop their own opinions and express their ideas. More tips to keep in mind:
Casting Your Vote Talking with your kids about important issues, the electoral process, and why voting is important not only provides them with a mini lesson on how government affects the world, but also shows that every person's opinion counts. Even though they can't vote yet, they'll be able to someday — perhaps very soon — so it's important that they start becoming informed. If possible, take your
kids with you into the voting booth on Election Day to show
them firsthand how the process works. Be a role model by
setting a positive example that lets them know you value the
right to vote. Show your kids the importance of voting
— and they'll grow up knowing that every vote
counts. Flash: West Virginia Senator
Joe Manchin, a Democratic, provided Brett Kavanaugh the
swing vote He has voted with Republicans on issues such as abortion and gun ownership. He opposed the energy policies of President Barack Obama, voted against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, voted for removing federal funding from Planned Parenthood in 2015, and voted to confirm most of Republican President Donald Trump's Cabinet appointees. However, Manchin has repeatedly voted against attempts to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), voted to preserve funding for Planned Parenthood in 2017, and voted against the 2017 Republican tax plan. Manchin is up for reelection this year and was asked by Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, his opponent in to resign from the Senate Democratic leadership team. Manchin responded, "I don't give a shit, you understand?" to a Charleston Gazette-Mail reporter when asked about Morrisey's call. "I just don't give a shit. Don't care if I get elected, don't care if I get defeated, how about that?" Let's hope that his Democratic opponent in the November, Paula Jean Swearengin wins. For the Republicans, Senator Fischer
from Nebraska is the only one up for re-election this year.
- Gordon Clay Stop
wasting your time and energy "reasoning" with
trolls If we're stuck in the kind of analysis these questions represent, we don't understand what's going on in right-wing and, more broadly, conservative politics today. And we'll spend a lot of time trying to get them to “understand” while they work to effectively manipulate the means of power. “Don't they understand the importance of a good education?” Wrong question. They see education as a means of liberalizing people. “The facts,” as Rachel Maddow paraphrased Stephen Colbert, “have a liberal bias.” So their goal is to control education at all levels by defunding it so it fails and then moving it under the control of corporate forces that have a profits-over-people agenda. Then it can train compliant workers who won't stand up for their dignity. “Don't they understand the threats of global warming?” Wrong question. They're doing what it takes to maximize their current profits and stock values because they're interested in the short-term control of the market that will increase their wealth no matter what might happen with the climate. They're betting on their money buying them out of any problems. “Don't they see the dangers of income inequality?” Wrong question. They believe that wealth is a measure of goodness, and therefore having it is a justification of all they're doing. Those below them deserve to be poorer for lack of the intelligence, gumption, and values they have. And the wealthiest live in a different world than the lower 99%. Their problems are not those of the rest of us. They socialize with their own. Those below them exist to promote their wealthy life-styles. When a fraternity decides to experience homelessness by living in lean-to shelters on campus, they pretend to understand. For them it's a temporary, feel-good charity campout with the promise of good meals and economic success waiting. To be dominated by the feeling that there's no way out, there's little hope for mental and physical healthcare, that no better accommodations await, and that society is working against you, is very different. “Don't they see that LGBT marriage doesn't hurt straight marriage?” Wrong question. Two people of the same gender marrying challenges their dominant view of what marriage is. In their minds it's an institution with a man as the visible head that enforces traditional gender roles. They need both a man and a woman in order to know who's the father and the mother, who's the top and the bottom, who's supposed to be the model for any children of what a real man and real man's woman should be, how they should act, how they should feel, what chores they should do. In same-gender relationships all this becomes negotiable. In same-gender relationships, someone who acts out of their whole (un-gender-straight-jacketed) humanity will model to the children that humans don't have to be limited to the unhealthy gender roles society still enforces and straight marriage is supposed to idealize. Marriage equality challenges all of that, liberalizing people to be whole human beings who reject conservative limits. “Don't they see that LGBT equality is inevitable with generational attitude change?” Wrong question. Conservative economic, military, and corporate leaders could care less about maintaining LGBT discrimination nor gaining LGBT equality. They would be happy to give in on these issues as long as it takes people's minds off of their redistribution of wealth to the top. In fact, conservative leaders are happy to include LGBT people who are content with celebrations over their social gains if they'll support the right-wing economic agenda. The national LGBT group that represents some of the wealthiest non-heterosexual people, the Human Rights Campaign, has regularly therefore found itself under fire from LGBT groups who see discrimination in broader socio-economic terms. Conservatives use the issue to gain votes. So, to take a stand against LGBT equality is to play to a right-wing religious base to keep their loyalty. It's worked in the past among those most likely to turn out for elections. So, it's still a useful tactic while it keeps economic conservatives in power long enough to solidify their gains economically and maintain the electorate's comfort with conservative framing of economic issues. It's neither an economic or moral issue for them – it's a way to hold on to their evangelical devotees. “Don't they see that trickle-down economics is failing?” Wrong question. It hasn't failed for the wealthy who set the conservative and Republican agenda. It has helped them gain even more power by taking over the Supreme Court and mainstream media. It has produced a government dominated by the rich and enabled the institutions of the rich – corporations and business lobbying groups – to control all branches of government. It has produced politicians who must spend most of their time looking for money. And it has produced cynicism in voters who could change things, believing there is little hope for change or any reason to vote. As Audre Lorde observed over a generation ago: "That you can't change City Hall is a rumor being spread by City Hall." The fascinating and hopeful news is that once we stop thinking in terms of these questions, we can change realities. Once we see that this is about power and control and not "understanding" and what seems to us logical, we can join forces with the goal of taking our country back from the oligarchs. And those who believe in people over profits have much more power than anyone expects. No one saw this more clearly than American historian Howard Zinn. After retelling American history from
the ground up in A People's History of the United States,
you'd expect hopelessness. But no: “Pessimism becomes a
self-fulfilling prophecy; it reproduces itself by crippling
our willingness to act....Political power, however,
formidable, is more fragile than we think. (Note how nervous
are those who hold it.)” Grant
Williams - April 23, 2018 at 5:52pm · A white shooter. It’s all been on full display: No calls by FoxNews to ban angry young
white guys. All of this, a week after the arrest of two black men in a Philadelphia Starbucks, within hours of a Neo-Nazi rally in Georgia, and just days before the manufactured racist holiday, “Confederate Memorial Day." This week is a microcosm of Trump’s America: Contempt for people brown skinned, by
white people specifically emboldened. This week brings many fresh reminders. It reminds us of the goodness within all people; of the similar selflessness that resides in disparate humanity, regardless of its pigmentation or orientation or nation of origin; of the incredible courage we are equally capable of. It reminds us that people like James Shaw Jr are precisely what is making America great, and that we are called at all times to be prepared to stand up to the monsters when they appear—whether wielding weapons or legislation or bully pulpits. It reminds us that white people rarely get painted as the villains here, even when they easily earn such titles—and that people of color have rarely received a hero’s welcome, even when clearly being heroic. It reminds us how far we have to go until Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness really are accessible to everyone. It reminds us that we can’t rely on our elected officials and our paid clergy to champion diversity and equality; that we the people will have to do that; repeatedly, loudly, passionately. It also reminds us that our nation is not going to be made great because of this President and those like him—but in spite of them. This week we are seeing who we are, America. And we’re seeing who we could
be—if more good people move and more good people
speak. Establish a
"Political Actions" committee
 Freedom
in the 50 States: Oregon Analysis Oregon has generally had higher freedom than its neighbors to the north and south—and reaped the benefits. However, since 2000, its economic growth rate has barely surpassed California’s and failed to match Washington’s, in part because of cost-of-living growth. Oregon’s state taxes collapsed during the Great Recession but bounced back quickly. Taxes were raised in 2013–14 and are now a projected 5.6 percent of personal income. Local taxes have been more or less steady over that time and are now about 4.1 percent of income. Oregonians have little choice of local government, with just 0.45 effective competing jurisdictions per 100 square miles of private land. Government subsidies and debt are higher than average, but state and local employment is lower. From a better-than-average fiscal policy in FY 2000, Oregon now looks subpar in this dimension. Land use has been a controversial issue in Oregon, and the Beaver State is indeed more regulated in this department than most other states, but we do not show any further tightening since the 1990s. However, the state ratcheted up its renewable portfolio standard in 2013–14. Oregon’s labor policy is generally anti-employment, with one of the highest minimum wages in the country relative to the median wage, no right-to-work law, and comprehensive workers’ compensation mandates. Several independent measures show that Oregon licenses far more occupations than most other states. However, health professions’ practice freedom is moderate. Insurance freedom has grown over the past four years with an end to rating classification prohibitions and the joining of the IIPRC. The civil liability system looks a bit better than the national average. Oregon’s criminal justice policy does not quite match the state’s live-and-let-live reputation. Incarceration rates are a bit higher than average, but victimless crime arrest rates have come down substantially over the past several years to a roughly average level. Although recreational cannabis legalization passed in a November 2014 ballot initiative, it does not yet show up in our index. However, the state already had a fairly expansive medical cannabis law and decriminalization of small amounts. Civil asset forfeiture is fairly restricted, and law enforcement does not often circumvent state law through equitable sharing. Gun rights are better than one might expect from a left-of-center state, but during the late 2000s open- and concealed-carry rules were tightened. Illegal immigrants can now get driver’s licenses. Smoking bans are comprehensive and airtight. Oregon has little legal gambling other than social games and Indian casinos. Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2014. Policy Recommendations
Source: freedominthe50states.org/overall/oregon
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