Republican Debate Take Away...FUCK The American Worker

The take away from the Republican Presidential debate is pretty clear...Fuck the American worker at every step down the road.   Raising the minimum wage...forget about it, every Republican candidate wants to embrace the same old trickle down system that has decimated our middle class.   Illegal aliens who have stolen our jobs, and thus our American Dream...LET THEM SAY, Donald Trump the only one who says they need to go home.  

Social Security...Ted Cruz for instance wants benefits (that are already deplorable) to grow at a slower pace, average American workers should work longer as in until they are so old they die before they ever collect a penny of the money they put into the system.   Who remembers when we got to retire and enjoy our Golden Years at the age of 60?  Here is a better idea Ted Cruz...how about if our Federal Government repays the Social Security system back all the money it has STOLEN FROM IT.

Did you get health coverage under Obama Care?   Well, kiss it good bye as every candidate on stage in this debates wants to do away with it and let BIG BUSINESS continue to rob us blind when it comes to health insurance.   Here is a better idea...take Obama Care further, eliminate state borders that protect BIG MEDICAL, and go to a Universal Health Care system with fair and equal access for all.

Bottom Line....if you want to die poor, broke and disheartened, put one of this nut job Republicans in the oval office in 2016.

Some Questions For Presidential Candidates

THEY ALL LOOK AND SOUND THE SAME!

The biggest problem with "Presidential Elections"...everything is scripted, who has access to the people running for the office controlled (except in Iowa and New Hampshire) and scripted.  Real access only granted to the rich, elite and power of our nation.   That is not democracy that our forefathers envisioned over 200 years ago.    Though the questions will not get answered (politicians are very adept at answering questions with answers full emptiness), going to pose a few here that I would like to receive straight forward answers to.

On Immigration

America has some of the most liberal immigration laws in the entire world.   For those who follow the rules, there is always a warm welcome, and a helping hand up the ladder as they begin their quest of living the American Dream.  Those who support illegal aliens want us to believe the costs of deporting illegal aliens is far too costly, choosing to ignore the facts...illegal aliens and their children cost America over $200 Billion dollars a year in assorted costs such as schooling, food stamps, and incarcerations, they depreciate American wages by over $200 Billion dollars a year, and starve America's economic engine by hundreds of billions a year through remittances sent back to their countries of origin.  Despite those who would have us believe otherwise, history tells us we can deport 11 million illegal aliens...simply look back to the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower and you will see America shut down the jobs magnet, orchestrated neighborhood and work place enforcement raids, and in 24 months deported over six million illegal aliens.

1.  Do you understand the difference between legal and illegal immigration, and why is it that you keep trying to treat/present these two diverse groups as one and the same?  

2.  Illegal aliens and their supporters claim illegal aliens pay taxes, using the fact that they pay sales tax on items they purchase as proof.  What percentage of those here illegally do not pay FEDERAL INCOME TAXES (underground economy), and shouldn't they have to pay all those back taxes with penalties and interest (as all law abiding citizens would have to do), as a part of making restitution for their breaking our laws in coming to and remaining in America Illegally?   Almost every proposed law would waive penalties/interest on these unpaid taxes, and would only require a illegal alien to pay back three years worth of unpaid Federal Taxes to GET RIGHT WITH THE LAW...how do you justify such a "Tax Amnesty" for these people when an American citizen who failed to pay his Federal taxes for 10-20 years could face prison time.

3.   Do you support E-Verify which is over 98 percent effective in telling employers (including families hiring household workers), and would you support it becoming the law of the land, making it mandatory for any one/any company employing people?   Would you support under E-Verify stiff penalties (including jail time) for employers caught hiring illegal aliens?

4.   Under a flawed interpretation of the 14th Amendment, over six million people born to illegal aliens have gained birthright citizenship.  If you are elected president will you introduce legislation to end this flawed and costly program that gives instant citizenship to any one born in America?

5.    With the global migration crisis (caused by the unrest in the Middle East) other countries such as Croatia and Hungary are successfully locking down their borders...yet politicians here in America would have us believe that the most powerful country in the world cannot build a wall and secure our southern border with Mexico.  If elected president, what steps are you prepared to take on your first day in office to secure our Southern border and stem the flow of illegal immigration into America?

On Jobs and a Living Wage

There is a lot of push back on raising the minimum wage.   Additionally, those who support raising the minimum wage seem to have a benchmark bottom wage base of $15 per hour.   The average employee working a 40 hour work week at $15 per hour would have a gross yearly income of $31,200.   However; gross pay is not take home pay...Social Security Taxes, Federal Taxes, Workers Comp, and State Taxes quickly see that gross pay scaled down to in hand dollars of $24,960.   A quick look at the average monthly expenses (rent, utilities, car payment/insurance, phone/cable/internet) and you quickly total up fixed mandatory expenses of $22,800 per year, and that does not include food, or health insurance.   You cannot purchase health insurance and feed yourself on that remaining $2,160 a year.   Which means you have to start looking at what you can cut out of your budget, what you can survive without.   A large contingent of those who are running for office would have us believe that America's wealthy and elite create jobs, while ignoring the other half of the equation which is the fact that all those hard working Americans who are working for slave wages are the ones creating that wealth through their efforts and hard labor.

1.   Would you support raising the minimum wage to $25 per hour, which would provide the average American family with what amounts to a living wage.

2.   Would you support limiting how much money is paid to executives and owners of companies big and small, so that fairness and equity is returned to they system, so that all workers share in the success of a business?

Equal Rights and Gay Marriage

Let us start with SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.    A marriage license is issued by an agency of the government, not by the church.   A church blesses a couple's marriage vowels, while an agency of government issues a legal document that authorizes and recognizes the legal joining/binding of two lives into one union.  Equal rights under the law...why have we even been having this argument.  One person or groups religious beliefs should not dictate what rights will or will not be bestowed on others.

1.   As a litmus test to hold political office, do you support "Equal Rights" for all citizens, and will you abide by the law of the land when it comes to granting gay couples the legal right to be married under the law with all the rights and responsibilities that come with that legalized union.

Pro-Choice verse Pro-Life

For the record, I support a woman's "freedom of choice"...even God grants us this "freedom of choice". My question...with all the far more important social and world issues on the agenda, why is this on the list of things to do any way?  It was settled with Roe VS Wade, so can we move on to the far more pressing issues facing America and its working class?  For those wondering, yes this is a bit of a Rhetorical Question...the fringe right wing of the Republican Party derives far to much pleasure from beating this dead horse every four years to rally their base...sad really.

There are a lot more questions that average Americans would like to ask, but sadly, there is not one of the current crop of candidates that will actually give us STRAIGHT answers to the questions posed in this article...that said, my comments page is open.   Fiorina, Trump, Hillary, Jeb....any takers that are up to this task?

Is America Stupid Enough To Elect Donald Trump President?

Give a street corner con artist running a "Three Card Monty" scam a $7 Million dollar helicopter with his name emblazoned on both sides, a Billion dollars, mix in a dash of Bernard L. Madoff, shake with a liberal dose of P.T. Barnum and you have "The Donald", presidential Republican Party front runner and braggadocio extraordinaire.   To listen to his stream of stupidity laden self aggrandizement not so carefully disguised as a campaign speech, and you are left amazed as he claims to have all the answers, something in his magicians hat for everyone in the audience...instead, he is trying to pull off the greatest fleecing of Americans to ever come down the track.  He would love us all to see him as a rich Harry Potter ready too work his white magic on  behalf of us Muggles, but if the truth be told, he is Lord Vordemort who's name should not be spoken.

Donald Trump..."I love women!"

Yes Donald, we know you do.  Three wives, and if she were not your blood relative you would date your daughter.   That's a rather uncomfortable image you painted for us Mr. Trump.   Forget asking your wife and Ivanka about your love for women, can you tell us some specifics about what you would do for American women if elected president?  Since you are so smart Mr. trump, sure I do not need to tell you that the keyword in that last sentence is specifics.   While you are at it, could you tell us voters how you would pay for all those things you are going to do for the women of America. Yes, we know you are incredibly rich, but $10 Billion is not going to go very far if you start sharing your own money (fat chance) with 300 Million American citizens...well, if we eliminate the one percent of uber rich Americans, you are really only going to be sharing that wealth with 297 million of us, so it might go a little bit further.  Deport all those pesky illegal aliens, and we might get the number down to around 280 million.

Donald Trump..."I'm going to create jobs!"

First, what kinds of jobs are you going to create?  Are these going to be GREAT JOBS that pay a living wage, or are they going to be low end hotel industry jobs working in one of your many hotels...perhaps the Post Office just down the street from the White House that you have mentioned out on the Campaign Trail at least 2,000 times in your first three months of being a presidential candidate.   I can only speak for myself, but three months into your bloviating infomercial masquerading as  campaign, a bit weary hearing about just how great and wealthy you are.   We get it....because of your father's connections and money, you went to a GREAT SCHOOL, and that apparently makes you very smart...but what kind of jobs are you going to be creating to help the middle class here in America?

Donald Trump..."I'm going to build a great wall, and those here in America illegally are going to have to leave."

OK, this one is a bit dicey as I actually agree with much of your stance on illegal aliens.  Illegal Aliens from Mexico send $130 Billion dollars a year back to Mexico in remittances...that is wealth leaving America.   Eliminating that drain on our economy, keep that fuel in our own economic engine would in some ways mean Mexico was paying to build the wall.   You have hinted that E-Verify should be the law of the land, its implementation shutting down the jobs magnet that sees illegal aliens rushing our border with the intent of living the American Dream by stealing it from lower and middle class Americans.   What I have not heard you talk about, what you seem to dance around is what you would do about the individuals and companies that are hiring illegal aliens, and in doing so lowering American wages by about $220 Billion dollars a year.   As President Donald, are you prepared to hand down stiff penalties (into the millions of dollars) and have mandatory prison sentences for companies and their upper management that hire illegal aliens.   A simple yes or no would suffice Mr. Trump, and am sure a man of your incredible intellect can quickly, truthfully and succinctly answer this simple yes or no question.  This is not "Dancing With The Stars", no flashy double talk, just a simple yes or no will suffice nicely.

Donald Trump..."I'm going to make deals, GREAT DEALS that are good for America."

Looking at the fact that Bill and Hillary Clinton have earned almost $200 million dollars since leaving the White House, knowing they are just not as smart as you (we all know you are VERY SMART) when it comes to business and finance, pardon me if I wonder just how much money you are thinking you can make if you successfully pull the wool over the eyes of the American electorate and become president.  Setting that musing on my part aside, can you share with us some of these deals you see making for America?   Don't trot out the whole fable about the Ford plant being built in Mexico, that one has kind of been beaten to death at this point in the race.   Humor us common folk with just one or two examples of these DEALS you keep talking about with all the wonderful folks in Iowa and New Hampshire...and yes, you folks down in South Carolina as well.   We don't want to shrink the Donald BIG TENT con by creating any hurt feelings.   FREE PIE FOR EVERYONE...CHERRY PIE!

Donald Trump..."We need victories, and spirit, America needs more spirit!

Talk to me here Donald!  What do you mean when you say we need more spirit?  Should we be singing hymns while slaving away at our jobs that don't pay a living wage (after taxes, $15 per hour is not even a living wage), maybe hold weekly PEP RALLIES around the water cooler?  Jumping jacks!  Is that what you mean...all of us can start off our shift with five minutes of calisthenics to get our juices flowing, get the proverbial endorphin's flowing so we can smile while we slave away building wealth for people like you so you can create more jobs that pay indentured servant wages to all of us in the great unwashed masses collectively known as the less fortunate' s.  

In the name of ratings the media (Fox, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and even Univision) has contributed to your rise to the top of the heap, tossing you soft ball questions, allowing you to duck giving real answers with your trademark, "Excuse me, EXCUSE ME".   Did they teach you that at Wharton School of Business?  Yes we know, its a great school, and you have to be really smart (or have a really RICH DAD) to get in.  Problem is, if people bother to take a look behind the curtain, it turns out the wizard actually has no clothes, is pretending to be the all knowing Oz when in reality you are nothing more than a spoiled rotten, mean spirited bully attempting to perpetuate the greatest scam on the American public ever conceived, while in the process doing a wonderful job at destroying the Republican Party....I do thank you for that last little part though...a bit tired of stiff necked blow hard stuffed shirt bigots telling the rest of us how we should live our lives, trying to fool us into believing rich people should be coddled because they create jobs.

So Mr Trump...how about some STRAIGHT TALK, how about some real answers and details on all these wonderful plans and deals you have in store for us.   My comment page is all yours, so please stop by and lets chat, have a real discussion.  The microphone so to speak is yours.

Just an FYI Mr. Trump

1.  If you want to attack me, call me stupid, might want to do it here as I am currently not doing Twitter, nor would I waste my energy following your Tweets.

2.  If you are going to hold your breath till your face turns blue and threaten to sue me, feel free, as even if you win, I have no money, your judgement would be an empty victory that a world class bully could add to his list of over stated accomplishments.

Stop Making All Cable Subscribers Pay For Latino (Univision) Programming

Cable/Satellite companies routinely make people with special interests pay for special premium packages that give them access to that special programming that has been groomed and fitted to their special tastes.   IE, people in love with watching movies can pay an extra premium too get access to Showtime, HBO and other 24 hour a day movie channels that are not available in a basic cable or satellite package.

The Latino percentage of America's population is about 17 percent of the overall population of America.   So here is my question...why should 83 percent of Americans be forced to subsidize Spanish television programming by having channels such as Univision included in our basic cable packages?  I do not speak Spanish, do not watch the various Spanish speaking channels such as Telemundo and Univision,  do not feel it fair I have to subsidize this specialty item...I am all for this special interest group of viewers being able to have access to the kind of programming they want to watch, but make it a premium package similar to say a sports package, or a movie package, rather than asking 83 percent of television viewers to subsidize Spanish channel access for the Latino community.

A portion of my monthly cable bill does not support Showtime or Cinemax, and I am not asked to pay a portion of my monthly bill to support pay per view boxing, so why am I being forced to subsidize Spanish channels by including them in my monthly programming package?  I occasionally watch a football game, but am not what one would call a rabid fan of the sport, and would be just as upset if I were being forced to subsidize a channel or channels that provided 24/7 football programming for the super fans out there that love that.  

It's time for the cable and satellite companies take all the Spanish channels and bundle them into a special premium package for those wanting Spanish Network programming, and stop subsidizing these networks by including their channels in the basic programming packages their subscribers have to choose from.   If the Univision's of the world cannot make it financially here in America through the subscription rates of those that subscribe to this premium channel, then they should close their doors, rather than forcing all subscribers to support Spanish programming only channels.

Would seem to me there is a Class Action Lawsuit in this somewhere...good question to pose to Trump out on the Campaign Trail....maybe he knows an attorney willing to look at the case.

Stop Letting Illegal Aliens Shape The Immigration Debate and Discussion

ANCHOR BABIES.....We  undocumented citizens (illegal aliens) cry foul!  Do not demean our children that way!  We are citizens and human beings too. (Here in America illegally.)

ILLEGAL ALIENS.....OMG, don't use that term, and if you do use it you are a BIGOT! (No, by Federal law and statute if you are in America illegally you are an ILLEGAL ALIEN.)

Undocumented workers/citizens....give us a break, you are in our country illegally.

Dreamers...The Dream Act...give us a break, it is amnesty for YOUNG ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Let's have the discussion...a large percentage of Illegal Aliens here in America are of Latino descent, are coming to America in various ways, primary among the ways being the illegal crossing and entry into America via our porous Southern Border with Mexico.   However, if we are going to have this discussion on Illegal Immigration and possible Immigration reform, lets do it fairly....fairly means that illegal aliens and those who support them do not get to shape the tone and direction of the conversation by eliminating terms/words that portray those who have/are breaking our laws in a negative light and replacing them with warm and fuzzy phrases meant to evoke sympathy.  That is unfairly tipping the scales, unfairly controlling the tone and direction of the conversation.

Anchor Baby...

1. used to refer to a child born to a non-citizen mother (most of the times a Mother (WHO BROKE THE LAW) in a country which has birthright citizenship, especially when viewed as providing an advantage to family members seeking to secure citizenship or legal residency.

This is an accurate descriptor for those in our country illegally who decide to have a child while here, or who deliberately come to America to pop out a baby to gain current and future benefits for their offspring and their families.  How many times do we hear, "Don't break up the family, let their parents, Aunt, Uncle or whoever stay in America, it is the only fair thing to do for the CHILD."  Let's be honest...It is a scam of the worst kind perpetrated on America with illegal aliens using an innocent child.  It needs to be stopped, and the best way to stop it is to simply eliminate "Birth Right Citizenship."  Secondly, we need to send the mother and her child back to their country of origin, and when and if the child has a legal resident of America willing to adopt him/her, or until the child reaches the age of maturity the children of Illegal Aliens stay with their parent in their home country AS IT SHOULD BE.  We cannot allow illegal aliens to use innocent children as Human Shields to avoid DEPORTATION.

Illegal Alien...

Under United States laws and statutes, any person not a citizen or national of the United States is an Alien...an Alien in our country illegally is thus simply stated and Illegal Alien.

The term is not racist, it is simply the proper legal classification of those who are within the borders of America illegally.   If a person comes to our nation legally, is here legally and abiding by the laws of our nation, but not a citizen or a national, they are an alien.   The second you enter, or stay in America in a fashion that breaks our laws, you are an ILLEGAL ALIEN.

OWN IT!

Illegal aliens and their supporters would like us to compose a sentence in the following fashion:

"The poor undocumented workers/citizens just came to America for a better life, to live the American Dream, and America should show its compassion as a nation and provide them with a pathway to citizenship."

Those of us opposed to AMNESTY, who want illegal aliens deported would compose a sentence far differently:

Illegal Aliens deliberately broke our laws, are in America illegally, stealing our jobs, depreciating the lower and middle class wage base, placing an unfair financial burden on our communities, and if America is a "Nation of Laws" these common criminals should be deported to their country of origin as the line for "Legal Immigration" starts in a citizen's country of origin... not here in America.  Come to America legally, abide by our immigration laws, or do not bother coming at all as you will be found out, incarcerated and deported.

A part of the discussion on illegal aliens and "Immigration Reform" has to include those who are aiding and abetting illegal aliens in being/staying in America illegally.   Those who provide housing (landlords) and those who hire illegal aliens in the name of having a CHEAP SUPPLY OF LABOR. We could throw the Catholic Church into this mix, but they have enough troubles right now defending their condoning of Catholic Priests molesting children in the name of God.  We will though include in this mix "Sanctuary Cities" like New York and San Francisco as their "look the other way" mantra greatly contributes to the scourge on our society that is illegal immigration.

To HARSH?  Get over it, political correctness is ruining America.

Every employer knows that E-verify if fully implemented as the law of the land is 98 percent effective in telling an employer (or landlord) if someone is legally entitled to take a job here in the United States of America.  Shut off the jobs/housing magnet, and at least 75 percent of illegal aliens currently residing here in America will self deport.  This combined with both work place and neighborhood enforcement raids will solve our illegal immigration problem.   But, let's give E-verify some serious teeth!  From the average America family hiring an illegal alien nanny to America's largest firms should face both hefty fines and prison time if they are caught hiring/employing an illegal alien.  No excuses, you are going to pay a serious fine, and are going to spend some time behind bars if you insist on hiring illegal aliens.   If E-verify is so effective, it can just as easily be effective in determining one's legal status before a landlord rents them living quarters...so, make E-verify and its penalties the law of the land for landlords as well.  Rent to an illegal alien, and you are going to do some prison time.

Sanctuary Cities...Can we say SANCTIONS?   We use sanctions internationally to bring a nation's actions into line when they are acting in a way that runs against America's interests...think Iran.  Let's use these same sanctions to rein in Sanctuary Cities that refuse to abide by Federal laws and statutes regarding illegal aliens.

Disagree?  Opposing views are welcome, that is why I have a comments section on this blog, and I do love a good debate.  Let's have this discussion, but don't tie one of my hands behind my back by telling me what words I can use in presenting my position.  For those that will want to paint me into the corner of being a rabid far right wing radical conservative, on most issues I am the complete opposite.  I consider myself an Independent with strong Democratic leanings, am very progressive on most social issues such as Abortion and Gay Rights, and believe that the drug war never worked, and that the time has come to legalize and tax Marijuana in the same way that we tax alcohol.

On Rich People Creating Jobs...just a thought.

The Republicans (and the wealthy) are fond of telling us Main Street Americans that rich people create jobs.  

OK, we'll give them that...but, doing a Paul Harvey, here is the rest of the story.  Rich people create jobs, but it is us working stiffs who create their wealth.

Though some might disagree, perhaps the time has come for some wealth redistribution?  When Billionaires are purchasing Billion dollar yachts as play toys, when the Trump's of the world are whisking around in 7 million dollar helicopters, the time has come to SHARE THE WEALTH with those who helped you accumulate it.. 

Trump, Anchor Babies and Illegal Aliens

Watching the news on any channel you will see one common theme regardless of which flavor you choose from..."The Donald".  Curious here...am I the only one who sees his "Presidential Run" as it unfolds baring a strong resemblance to "Spaceballs" the movie?  Think about it, Mel Gibson and the power of the Schwartz..."It's MERCHANDISING".  Since he jumped into the fray that is the Republican Primary he has received free publicity worth hundreds of millions of dollars.  Think product placement here folks.  He's ignited the electorate for some very simple reasons...he is daring to be politically incorrect, and state on the record what a lot of us on both sides of the aisle feel when it comes to what the politically correct have labeled "Immigration Reform".

When it comes to politics my own views on most issues lean far left...except when it comes to issues like illegal aliens and their anchor babies.   If Donald Trump is going to actually deport illegal aliens, sending them and their children back to their home countries then I am seriously going to have to give some serious thought to giving him my vote.

Stream of Conscious Thoughts.....

1.  Illegal Aliens and their supporters like to claim that illegal aliens (undocumented citizens) pay taxes.  Yes, they pay sales taxes on goods/services they buy, and though a stretch, some might be willing to concede that a portion of their rent helps the landlord pay his property taxes.  However, when it comes to FEDERAL TAXES...as Paul Harvey would say, "Now for the rest of the story.

If you are working under the table (underground economy), and not paying your Federal Taxes, that is a serious crime called tax evasion.  If you are paying Federal Taxes because you are using a fake ID and paying taxes under a stolen name and identification number, that IS A CRIME.   If your average America citizens were to not pay his taxes and gets caught, there are serious fines, penalties, interest, and in some cases prison time.  Let's hold these illegal aliens to the same standards.

2.  Illegal Aliens and their supporters like to say that most Illegal Aliens come here for a better life, want to live the American Dream...problem is, they are living that dream by stealing it from an American Citizen.   Don't trot out that old argument that they are doing the jobs Americans will not do.   They have infiltrated the landscaping industry, the construction industry, the fast food industry, the hotel and restaurant industries to name a few, and in doing so yearly reduce the American Wage Base by over 200 Billion Dollars.   Implement E-Verify, dry up the jobs magnet, and most illegal aliens when they cannot find work will SELF DEPORT, and American Wages will go up...in addition, the 137 Billion dollars sent to Mexico every year will STAY IN AMERICA, and in that sense Donald Trump is right when he says Mexico will PAY FOR THE WALL.

3.  Anchor Babies...the 14th Amendment was not intended to be used to provide citizenship to the child of any one that wants to sneak across our border and pop out a baby.   That said, lets reach a compromise.  Lets deport ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS, and send their children home with them so the family unit is preserved.   Then their children born in America reach the age of maturity (Eighteen), they can opt to come to America and enjoy their American citizenship.  No amendment to the constitution necessary, problem solved.  These Anchor Babies get to keep their American Citizenship, the family unit stays together, and we Americans get to step paying the way for some 10 Million children born to illegal aliens.  

What our politicians and pundits need to realize about the Trump Phenomenon is very simple...he is speaking the message that lower and middle class Americans WANT TO HEAR...Merchandising, putting out a message, a political product that PEOPLE WANT...the "Power of the Schwartz" with Mel Gibson lifting the veil of truth...."Merchandising".   Many Americans are tired of being rode rough shod, being forced into silence under the guise of "Political Correctness.   They are not undocumented workers or citizens, they are ILLEGAL ALIENS, and their children like it or not are Anchor Babies that are costing American Tax Payers billions of dollars a year...medical costs, foot stamps, schooling.   Send them home, and let their own countries (including Mexico) pay the tab for their own citizens, rather than foisting it off on America.

RUN TRUMP RUN.....

Curious Question....How big of a voting block would the Latino Voting Block be if we deported all illegal aliens and their anchor baby children?