Here's the short reason why trickle down economics just doesn't work... not ever.

Economic growth is based on demand for products and services. When you take money from the poor and middle class to feed the rich you give them less ability to buy what the rich are selling. In the long run, trickle-down economics is bad for everyone, even the rich.

Give a man who has everything $100 what does he do with it? He already has everything (stagnation). Give that $100 to a man who is poor and he has no choice but to reinvest (growth created by demand). Take away all his money and he has no choice but to try and take it back (crime).

In the long run it the tax breaks to the rich stop mattering. If we can't buy their products the money eventually dries up. A tax break without the revenue to back it up does no good. If they actually did use it to create jobs that would be one thing, but they don't, or at least they don't create them here. They don't feed the economy, they hoard it.

In fact, time and time again they somehow convince half of America the poor are the problem.

But for the rich it works for a while... even though time after time it has been proven to be unsustainable in the long run. And the politicians they own will help them make you believe it works because from the rich man's hand to the politician's pocket is the only time it does.

People have no right to fire protection - Let's bring back Fire Gangs

A conservative friend just told me that in order to get better healthcare we have to be willing to give up something. We have to cut money from other so called "entitlements" to pay for it. It's a tired argument really. In long run access to healthcare benefits everyone. Healthy workers save money and even if that was the only benefit it would be enough.

But, I really don't get the point here.... it's 2 Trillion LESS over 10 years then what we paid as a country in 2016. By the Conservative estimate.... by the 2.8 trillion Liberal estimate it saves even more, and the reality is probably somewhere in between the two. 

So why would we give anything up for something that already costs less?

Do you know most fast food and restaurant workers in this country go to work sick? When I was a pizza delivery guy I worked sick all the time. Think that was a great idea? Had no choice. Had no money for Doctors and couldn't afford to stay home. Turned around and made other people sick. 

This was right after the oil field lay offs in 2010 with a pregnant wife at home. So I'm not talking as a young guy, or ancient history. This was to make ends meet quite recently. 

The temp employees here at my current job have the same issue. They can't afford a doctor, they work sick. That spreads sickness. That decreases efficiency at work. Healthcare doesn't just help the sick person, it makes society function better, much like police and fire departments.

In fact, that's what I'll give up. Fire Departments. Lets go back to the early 1600s or so when Fire Departments were all volunteer and expected payment to put out Fires. When roving fire gangs actually set as many fires as they put out. We can modernize this idea! They can roll up, check your fire insurance and if your covered only then will they put out the fire (just like health insurance). When it spreads to other buildings? Same thing, show you are insured or pull out the check book. Otherwise they will roast marshmallows on what used to be your home.

~After all - No one has a right to Fire Protection, that's an entitlement!~ 

By virtue of simple dumb luck I'm not getting screwed while others are.

I really don't know if this belongs in my blog.

It's the first personal real world situation I've blogged about and it is something that just feels seriously wrong, but I can't do anything about it. I can't even blame a political party, excepting the fact that Republican's have made it impossible to collective bargain in Texas.

The company I work for just got sold. 

My old employer covered my entire family on their medical insurance free of charge.

My new employer only covers the employee adding the family is over $800 a month.

My old employer provided an absolutely free medical clinic.

My new employer does not.

Here is the deal, by a stroke of luck... a simple twist of fate... my family will be okay.

~A lucky roll of the dice~

I started as an hourly field hand.

About six months ago I became a salaried employee.

Yes, salaried employees still have to pay. I'm lucky, but not that lucky.

However the people purchasing us made a deal. If we stay four months and let them know a month in advance that we are leaving. We get to take our full severance. If we stay we get a big bonus worth about twice that. That is pretty generous. I'm not going to lie, and I'm not accusing those buying us of being a bad company but....

It's based on 40 hours a week for hourly employees. We work in the oil field. These guys put in about 96 hours a week on a 14 day on 7 day off schedule. This is backbreaking work that many of them (myself included until recently) have been doing for many years. Mine is based on my salary (I put in 84 hours a week on the same schedule.

Anyway the severance for these guys is going to come out to a few months pay. It's not going to go very far. If they stay and have a family they will suddenly be paying $800 a month unless they find something cheaper on their own. That's a sudden, unexpected $800 a month bill. The bonuses these guys get won't even cover it. That is a direct hit of $11,900 a year to guys who will work the same long hours and do the same hard jobs. Could you absorb that?

Big side note: In almost any other industrial country the amount they pay would not depend on the the whims of the employer. 

Because of my dumb luck and becoming salaried at the right time my new bonus will cover the insurance and leave me $30k richer a year.

Of course, Texas is a "so called" right to work state. We have no power to bargain. These guys have no ability to fight for a better deal.

It will be the first year of my life I don't have to struggle to make ends meet. I feel very lucky. Last year this would have ruined me. My medical bills were enough that I met my family deductible several months ago. Right now, I'm paying for nothing. No Co-Pays, no prescriptions, nada.

But I can't help thinking about these guys and that someone should realize overtime wages (which make up more then 50% of their pay) are wages. They have to pay on every dime at tax time but don't get recognition otherwise. Most people end up with a set of bills in life that is representative of what they make (not the best word usage, but I hope you understand what I'm saying). These are real people and families that in many cases already have medical issues. They can't afford to lose insurance and now will have to struggle to keep it. They will be doing the same work for what amounts to less money, does that seem right?

I also can't help thinking that in almost any other industrialized country they would have universal healthcare that would cost them the same no matter where they worked. None of them asked for this but they will all be paying for it. 

Universal Healthcare so simplified even a conservative can understand it.

Let's try to understand where you draw the line a supposed socialism.  Are police departments socialist?  We pay them to take care of a basic societal need. Isn't that the actual definition of socialism? 

~Shouldn't we, as the ultimate free enterprise country, have to pay cops to investigate crimes? Under a true Capitalist system the more you pay the more likely it is your crime will be solved~

What about fire departments?  Was it better in the early 19th century when volunteer fire departments charged to put out fires? Fires they or rival fire gangs often started? 

~Or maybe we should have a new type of Fire Insurance? One that requires us to show proof of coverage before they put a drop of water on the flames?~

Both of these ideas are obviously, absolutely ridiculous. We all know and understand that police and fire departments, not to mention government agencies like the Military, FBI, CIA, FDA, DOJ, DOL, DOE, CDC, FAA etc are all necessary forms of socialism. Our taxes pay for them and they work for the common good of us all.

Why is healthcare somehow different?

As a country we spent 3.4 trillion in 2016 on healthcare and not everyone was covered, and the cost went up in 2017, and is expected to keep going up in 2018.

Republicans keep throwing out the number 3.2 trillion over 10 years as the cost to have a single payer system in this country.  Well using the 2016 numbers that looks like a two billion dollar savings to me everyone is covered.

There are tons of different estimates of the number of people who go bankrupt each year due to medical bills. It's easy to find numbers from 600 thousand to 1.4 million depending on where you look, but frankly no one should go bankrupt for medical conditions. No one should have to choose between their health and their income.

And frankly it amazes me how conservatives miss the benefits to society as a whole. When people default on medical bills, prices go up for the rest of us. Millions of people each year use the emergency room to treat conditions that they can't afford to get looked at. Even with insurance millions of dollars in deductibles never get paid. That is passed directly on to the rest of us.

Even worse, many people, knowing they can't afford a doctor won't go. Those in lower paying, more demanding jobs will still go to work spreading sickness and disease because they can't afford time off and they can't afford treatment. This includes the people making your food. 

Others will stay home sick decreasing productivity at their employers business, some will even die. To die of a treatable condition in a country such as this should be unimaginable.

I'm not saying that medicare for all, or single payer is the answer to all this but let's at least get rid of the boogeyman concerning so-called socialism.

No serious viable candidates have ever advocated for true socialism or communism. All anyone has pushed for is that we use the resources of this great country to make healthcare for everyone a reality and have our nations Doctors protect us like we are protected by the police and fire departments. 

Agree? Don't Agree? Tell me why in the comments!

Hey, lets give guns to teachers! That'll stop this shit....

Wow. Lots of people calling for arming teachers. Even the President Trumplestiltskin is pushing for it on twitter. He thinks that, "....If a potential “sicko shooter” knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school."

I guess some schools are even doing it..

Sounds like just a fantastic idea right?... or at least a great way to sell more guns...

A few things this plan doesn't take into account though:

• We don't even pay our teachers and schools enough to be able to afford supplies. In fact, the tax deduction that teachers who itemized used to be able to get fo buying supplies is gone thanks to the Republican's new tax scam overhaul. So where will the money for these guns and the tactical training for an active shooter situation come from?
• There are 100s of cases of physical abuse by teachers on students each year. In many cases, this is barely investigated or punished. (I'm talking about hitting, not the cases of inappropriate contact) What if one of these armed teachers snaps? How many students can he or she shoot before another armed teacher puts him or her down?
• What happens if the teacher misses and hits another innocent student? I don't think many districts could survive that kind of lawsuit. What happens to that teacher? Fired for doing what he was supposed to try and do? Can he live with that guilt? Would any parent want their child in his classroom ever again?
• You would have all the same possible problems with armed security. Even vets can miss firing into a crowd. Even if someone has active shooter and hostage training there is no guarantee they won't miss.
• Will a teacher even be able to fire at a child they once taught? Can a teacher coldly put one in the head and two in the chest of a child they were teaching just days before? Can they recover after they've done so? 

And what about Mr.Trumplesteins claim that a "sicko shooter" would never attack that school? 9 times out of 10 these shooters take their own lives. They are resigned to die before they ever start their rampage. They almost always go after their own school. They want to die and they want to see how many they can take with them, but they don't want strangers. They are after revenge on those they think have done them wrong. Warning them that teachers are armed won't deter many of them if any.

I have to notice the right never even suggests the less lethal alternatives. Stun Guns, Tasers, Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets. At least then you'd have less chance of collateral damage.

But a better approach is to find these kids and help them before these situations occur, and find a way to keep the damn guns out of their hands in the first place.

The real way to arm our teachers is with the tools and training to teach them right, not to take them out!

Conservative vs. Liberal - Fucking Nonsense!!!

A friend of mine posted the following piece of trash on his Facebook...

This one really pisses me off and I feel the need to set the record straight!

Point by ridiculous fucking point: 

Guns: Only the extremists want to ban guns. A total ban has not ever been a goal. We only want common sense gun laws, something President Trumplestilskin is even starting to agree with. You know this and yet perpetuate this nonsense. 

I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health. Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks! Congress is in a mood to finally do something on this issue - I hope!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2018

Vegetarians: I was a vegetarian growing up (This is true, I was). We were friends. Did I ever once try to stop you from eating meat? Nope. And guess what, my vegetarian liberal friends don't try to stop me either. Once again, you are talking about extremists.

Being Down and Out: I've been down and out. Never asked anyone to take care of me. I used my unemployment benefits, but those were paid for by my employers. By the way 70%of people on aid have at least one job. I know you think they can magically better themselves but since conservatives are also against paying living wages that makes it difficult for the already disenfranchised to suddenly pull themselves up from their bootstraps. Especially if they have children. 

Complaining: You crybabies are boycotting the NFL, Starbucks, Target and 100 other organizations because your feelings got hurt by something they did. Not to mention repeated calls for the firing of Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Woopi Goldberg and a host of other. In fact you can put this one in the straight out lie department.

God: I seriously doubt any liberal had come to your house and asked you not to talk about your God. Likewise they don't try to stop you from paying or going to church. The most we do is try to keep it out of government. That's it. I see crosses on every third or fourth house where I live. That's your right. Build a 50ft tall Jesus in your back yard, it's your property. Your religion doesn't belong in the public square. Oh, and by the way... do you know who else is against public prayer? Jesus. Matthew 6:5.... read your own holy book sometime. 

Health: I have fantastic insurance. Paid for by my employer (who, by the way pays about 10k as their portion of my premiums - while I pay around $2400 myself). But the prices are high because the poor have to use hospitals like they have revolving doors (they also have to wait until they are desperate becuase they can get no preventative care for anything). They can't pay their bills and that gets passed on to all of us. 3 out of 5 bankruptcies in this country (over 600,000 a year) are people who had insurance and still couldn't pay their medical bills. Why is looking at any way to fix a broken system a bad thing?

I didn't delete it. But you are absolutely right I'm very offended at this stupidity.