Tag: politics

DISCLOSE Act, dark money in our elections

DISCLOSE Act, dark money in our elections

Posted on by Jack

Today I received an email asking me to support the Disclose act to get dark money out of politics by requiring disclosure of who is contributing. There are been many versions over recent years and none have made it into law. This bill seems like a good idea to me but I would like to hear more since as they say the devil is in the details.

The current version is S.512 which was sponsored by Senator Whitehead almost a year ago (Feb 16 2023) and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. According to https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/512 there has been no action since then.
Continue reading “DISCLOSE Act, dark money in our elections”

Elect Scientists

Elect Scientists

Posted on by Jack

This morning I got one of those political emails. Most I delete without even reading. They are usually all pretty similar in that this or that candidate needs my money. The subject line of this one caught my attention. It seemed this group was interested in electing scientists to political office.

So I googled the name of the organization and thought this group was interesting and worth supporting. I am a retired scientist (from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC) and know the importance of science to our complex society. Politically I am an Independent but have become more anti-Republican as that party has become increasingly anti-science and then authoritarian.
Continue reading “Elect Scientists”

Dominant Trait by Michael Abramson

Dominant Trait by Michael Abramson

Posted on by Jack

A very good book and unexpectedly so. I thank Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the privilege of reading Dominant Trait: A Story of Social and Genetic Inequality by Michael Abramson. The book is now available as both Kindle and paperback editions.
Continue reading “Dominant Trait by Michael Abramson”

Democracy Amendments and change for the better

Democracy Amendments and change for the better

Posted on by Jack

Our democracy is in trouble.  Our political system is broken.  We have seen these problems growing and continuing to get worse.  How can our democracy be saved? Does “The Democracy Amendments”  hold the answer?

The full title is “The Democracy Amendments: How to Amend Our U.S. Constitution to Rescue Democracy for All Citizens”. The author is Rick Hubbard. It is available in both Kindle and paperback editions.

I think Rick Hubbard identified the problem and suggested a solution and I agree that it would be nice.  However, I don’t think this or any like it will happen anytime soon.

Still, I think the book worthwhile.  It gives a good summary of many problems with our democracy.  It proposes a solution.  Not a solution that I think will work but important because we will never solve this or any other problem without a good idea about the proper direction of move.

In the 2016 election many people voted for change.  Unfortunately the result seems not to be a change for the better,  I hope this book and more like it will get the people thinking about change and the type of change that will be good for our democracy.

The people can change our democracy.  Let’s hope the next time that we will have change for the better.   It will be a difficult road and we will face a good bit of resistance. It may take more time than some would like but it can be done.

Two Paths: America Divided or United by John Kasich

Two Paths: America Divided or United by John Kasich

Posted on by Jack

John Kasich  is a 2 term governor of Ohio and a former  U.S. congressman. In the House of Representatives he was on the Armed Services Committee and was chairman of the  Budget  Committee the last time we had a balanced budget.  So he does know a bit about governing and fiscal matters. Continue reading “Two Paths: America Divided or United by John Kasich”

Crazy, Useless, Shafted

Crazy, Useless, Shafted

Posted on by jack

I called this book review Crazy, Useless, Shafted. That seems to cover it in a few words. The full title is The Party Is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted but that seemed a bit long for a title.

The book is by Mike Lofgren who spent 28 years has a Republican Congressional staffer. His start was with John Kasich who in the 1980s was on the House Armed Services Committee. Mike switched from national security to the House Budget Committee when Representative Kasich became chairman. He retired from the Senate Budgetary Committee in 2011, frustrated by the ridiculous debt ceiling debate and the lunacy and terrorism of the Republican party.

Why I read this book

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Who is this guy? Why should I care?

Who is this guy? Why should I care?

Posted on by jack

I got an email titled “Who is this Guy???” It is apparently a version of an email that has been around since 2010 or earlier.  I suppose the 3 question marks are meant to show that this is an important question.

I wasn’t quite sure of the point but it seems to suggest that I should not vote for Hillary Clinton because her daughter’s father-in-law scammed lots of people out of money and went to jail for it. Continue reading “Who is this guy? Why should I care?”

Why Bernie Sanders Matters

Why Bernie Sanders Matters

Posted on by jack

I just finished reading Why Bernie Sanders Matters by Harry Jaffe. I had requested an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from Netgalley because it sounded interesting so I thought I would give it a try. I’m glad I did. I understand it is out today so the ARC gave me a few days head start.

If you have been following the presidential primaries, you know there are 3 candidates left in the democratic field. Bernie Sanders is one. It is seems like Hillary Clinton will be the nominee, but Bernie Sanders is presenting a serious challenge.

So, who is Bernie Sanders and why does he matter?

Continue reading “Why Bernie Sanders Matters”

Presidential questions

Presidential questions

Posted on by jack

Who shall be our next President? Plenty of candidates, plenty of choices, plenty of questions, and some answers buried in lots of talk. Who do you think is the best choice? Will he or she make it. About a year from now, someone will be elected as the next President. Who do you think it should be?

You have opinions about the issues. The candidates have opinions or at least have expressed opinions (which may or may not be the same thing). How do your opinions line up with what the candidates say. What they say is not always the same as what they will do. Sometimes you worry a candidate will not deliver on what is said; other times you worry that they may actually do what they say. Continue reading “Presidential questions”

Cooperation in Congress

Cooperation in Congress

Posted on by jack

Cooperation in Congress, I hope. Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin was recently elected the Speaker of the House. I hope this brings in a new era of cooperation between the 2 parties and among various groups in the House of Representatives. And perhaps when the Senate sees it, they will be inspired to do likewise.

This is a hope. I am not placing any bets on it.

I hope for cooperation because among the things Rep. Ryan had to say on assuming office was this: Continue reading “Cooperation in Congress”

Clinton emails

Clinton emails

Posted on by jack

Anyone who has been near a TV or radio or read a newspaper or magazine lately has probably heard quite a bit about Hillary Clinton’s email problems due to a decision to use a personal email server rather than the official one. The Clinton emails controversy prompted the best line of the Democratic debate when Bernie Sanders said:

“The American people are tired of hearing about your damn emails”

But the fact is that the FBI is investigating the Clinton email situation to see if national security was endangered and criminal charges should result. Continue reading “Clinton emails”

Knucklehead for President

Knucklehead for President

Posted on by jack

The words grabbed my attention. I can just see someone shouting “Knucklehead for President”. The “stuff happens” part also appealed to me but it was the knucklehead business that really got my attention.

The article was “Stuff Happens to the Environment, Like Climate Change” by Thomas L. Friedman (@tomfriedman) and here is how it begins: Continue reading “Knucklehead for President”

War on Science

War on Science

Posted on by Jack

There seems to be a war on science. I am a scientist so my bias is to believe something is probable when most reputable scientists in the relevant field say it is true.

Sure, science gets is wrong once every now and then but not very often. Science is a self-correcting process and mistakes are normally discovered pretty quickly. I suppose a betting man would lose a lot of money by betting against something that most scientists agree with. Continue reading “War on Science”

The Conservatarian Manifesto reviewed

The Conservatarian Manifesto reviewed

Posted on by Jack

I’ve spent a good amount of time the past few weeks reading this book, thinking, re-reading, and re-thinking my ideas about politics. Although far from being a believer in the right-wing of American politics, I thought this was a very good book.

The Conservatarian Manifesto: Libertarians, Conservatives, and the Fight for the Right’s Future by Charles C.W. Cooke presents his beliefs that neither conservatives nor libertarians have a coherent solution to good governing. Continue reading “The Conservatarian Manifesto reviewed”

Bipartisan cooperation lost

Bipartisan cooperation lost

Posted on by Jack

Is President Obama already missing the Republican cooperation he enjoyed during the first 6 years of his presidency?

After the recent election, some thought bipartisan cooperation was possible. I’m not sure why. There has been little evidence of bipartisan cooperation in recent years on most issues.

The Republicans warned President Obama not to “poison the well” by using his executive authority on immigration. Yet he did. From listening to reaction, I guess the spirit of bipartisan cooperation was lost. I’m wondering if President Obama already missing the Republican cooperation he enjoyed during the first 6 years of his presidency?