We in the United States remain in a season of partisan contention, angst, uncertainty, resistance, divisiveness, and a recent government shutdown. One of the major issues of disagreement between our political parties is that of the “dreamers,” those young people brought to the US illegally as children by their parents, and the Obama-era measure put […]
Present
Blog posts relating to the present such as social justice issues
Better Reasons to Look at Norway
Now that President Trump has mentioned Norway (!), let us take the opportunity to reiterate some of what we have already discussed about that very progressive nation. It is quite certain, contrary to Trump’s desires, that we will not soon see an influx of Norwegian immigrants to the US: while Trump presumably wants Norwegians primarily […]
The Need for OSHA and the Risks of Staff Reductions
Stephanie Ruhle, on MSNBC’s Velshi and Ruhle several days ago, brought to the public’s attention the looming staffing problems within the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). NBC News had made a comprehensive report in a January 8, 2018, article, and we need to pay attention: OSHA is yet another agency, slowly being decimated by […]
A Bit of Good News: Reinstatement of Over 100,000 Driver’s Licenses in Mississippi
As we head into a New Year, it might be nice to pause over a bit of good news recently announced by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The SPLC, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center worked together to significantly change procedures that affect more than […]
Random Christmas Thoughts
Three days before Christmas: a good time to share some random thoughts on the reason for the holiday – the man Jesus with the title “Christ.” Jesus the man lived nearly 2,000 years ago as a Jewish subject in the Roman Empire. After he died, his followers kept his memory alive in a myriad of […]
Hate in the White House: A New Tool from the SPLC
Is it not tragic that we must speak of hate in the People’s House, our beloved White House in the seat of our national government? Unfortunately, we must call a spade a spade: the Trump Administration, from the top down, fosters hatred, bigotry, and animosity – citizen against citizen – on a regular basis. Donald […]
Business Meets Social Responsibility
It is possible – and highly desirable – for the business community to have an ethos of social responsibility, in addition to profit motivation. The mission of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), a statewide, nonprofit business association, is “to foster a business ethic in Vermont that recognizes the opportunity and responsibility of the business […]
Important Hearing Aid Bill Signed
One positive legislative achievement has somewhat miraculously taken place under President Trump: he signed a bill into law that should benefit millions of Americans. The Food and Drug Administration Reauthorization Act of 2017 was signed on August 18, 2017, and includes a bipartisan provision on over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids introduced by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) […]
Revisiting the CFPB
Now that the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Richard Cordray, has announced his resignation, it’s all the more important to raise our voices in support of the agency. Please take a look at an earlier post on this, if you haven’t seen it already This agency works for YOU but is under […]
“What do you Pay for Health Care?”
“Employer-provided health care is the biggest obstacle to grassroots movement for single-payer in America. Because if you ask most Americans, ‘What do you pay for health care a year?’ They’ll go, ‘I don’t know. My employer provides it. I just have a little bit taken out of my check.’” This was former Vermont Governor Peter […]