Month: June 2018

Americans are being hurt by Trump’s tariffs and the foreign response

Trump’s tariffs are backfiring.

Trump lies about the total of murders by immigrants

 

Trump’s war on immigrants is hurting Social Security

This article notes: “Immigration is a net plus for Social Security. Because immigrants are younger, on average, than other Americans, they will contribute to Social Security for decades. Ironically, undocumented workers contribute even more. They are prohibited from receiving Social Security, even when they can prove that they have contributed. The Social Security Administration has estimated that undocumented workers pay billions of dollars to these programs each year but earn no benefits.”

Thus, fewer immigrants will mean less money for Social Security.

Covers: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)

“Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)” was written by “Joe Maphis, Rose Lee Maphis and Max Fidler. It was originally recorded in December 1952 by the bluegrass duo Flatt & Scruggs, and later released by Joe & Rose Lee Maphis in 1953 as a single.”

Covers include versions by the Flying Burrito Brothers (recorded in 1969 but released later), Dwight Yoakam (2013) and John Prine and Amanda Shires (2016).

I saw Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, and Steve Earle perform it together as the final song on their LSD tour show on June 19, 2018.  It was more country and less rock than Yoakam’s solo version.

Flatt and Scruggs

Joe & Rose Lee Maphis

Flying Burrito Brothers

Dwight Yoakam

John Prine featuring Amanda Shires

Rehearsal during the LSD tour

 

Republicans’ views of college have turned much more negative

 

This article notes “A majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (58%) now say that colleges and universities have a negative effect on the country, up from 45% last year. By contrast, most Democrats and Democratic leaners (72%) say colleges and universities have a positive effect, which is little changed from recent years.”

Gallup poll

An opinion column on why many Republicans hate college

Unauthorized immigration is still far below historic levels

 

A group of NFL players on pardons

This article notes: “Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said he wants professional athletes who kneel during the National Anthem to protest racial injustice to tell him who they think the President should pardon next.

On Thursday, a group of NFL players responded to the President in a New York Times an op-ed. But the athletes aren’t giving Trump a list of names. Instead, they call for broader changes to the criminal justice system.”
I strongly recommend reading the column – see the link to the New York Times above.
The players write: “But a handful of pardons will not address the sort of systemic injustice that N.F.L. players have been protesting. These are problems that our government has created, many of which occur at the local level. If President Trump thinks he can end these injustices if we deliver him a few names, he hasn’t been listening to us.”

Trump and other white men make decisions on immigration

Sad!