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- STATES BIG PICTURE…As we survey all 50 states it is reported that 55% of the $20 trillion US economy comes from “Blue” states vs. 45% from “red” states. And 17 of the top 25 states with the most educated populations are “blue” states; 17 of the least educated populations in the bottom 25 states are “red” states. Just sayin’….
- SCOTUS SAGA…We cannot forget the continuing scandal surrounding Clarence Thomas and many other Justices of the Supreme Court. It has now been discovered that Justice Thomas was the recipient of 38 luxury trips from mega GOP donors. And none of these was reported or apparently declared as income when he paid his taxes. The failure to report under self-imposed SCOTUS Ethics guidelines should require his removal from the court. But his failure to pay taxes on the value of those gifts should land him in jail. Why did neither happen? But the bigger question is: now that we all know he can be bought how comfortable are we to be forced to scrutinize EVERY DECISION HE MAKES/PARTICIPATES IN henceforth?
- PENSION BAILOUT…Recently we read a newspaper article about a union pension fund that required a $183 million bailout. The newspaper stressed the value of the government program, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, as a safety net to protect and provide pensioners with their earned benefits. This is all a “feel good” result but the question that should have been asked and answered in the story is: WHY DID THE UNION-SPONSORED PENSION PLAN NEED A BAILOUT? Typically a mature pension plan thrives on investment returns to pay at least 90% of its pension obligations. But this plan failed miserably and no one seems to ask the reason for its failure. There’s obviously more to the story and we’ve asked for more details…Stay tuned for future info.
- GOP HITS A NEW BOTTOMS…Last week President Biden visited an area in the west for the purpose of dedicating a piece of land as a National Monument. This land has been held sacred for centuries by native Americans who cherish its spiritual significance. The GOP Governor of Utah immediately filed an objection and even threatened to challenge this designation in court. We suggest that Biden–on a Sunday–announce that today is Sunday to find out if the GOP will challenge him with impeachment for such a declaration. Add to this debacle the sharing of nude pictures of Hunter Biden by Marjorie Taylor Greene during his drug addiction days. Do you really want that kind of leadership running your country? And the beat goes on…
- CLIMATE CHANGE….Every day we hear the constant drumming of climate change impact. Every newscast starts with “a hundred year storm” or “glacier melting” or “hottest week/month/year on record”. We add our voices to sound the alarm. Think about our continuing failure to put solving this global problem ahead of EVERY OTHER ISSUE. If the planet dies Republicans, Democrats, Communists, Libertarians, Heterosexuals, Homosexuals, whites, blacks, etc.–all die. How long will it take the leaders of every nation to see that? It’s no longer a question of “is climate change real?” Of course it is—so what are we going to do about it? It doesn’t matter who controls the US political scene or whether Artificial Intelligence evolves or who wins the World Series or who wins the Ukraine-Russia war–if we’re all extinct in the next 30 to 50 years. Surely that concept is easily understandable–and yet we do so little to avoid its consequences.
- MEDICAL SCIENCE BREAKTHROUGH…No, we don’t have a cure for cancer. But we do have a suggestion that might have incredibly powerful impacts on ALL medical care with domino effect results. Consider this: what if every human being were cataloged into a medical data base that contained all known medical history of every human being? Further what if each of us had access to our own “account” whenever we experienced any symptoms? The medical system would then provide a list of possible medical issues using your medical history and list of symptoms. It could even estimate a probability percentage to let you know what the most serious issue could be and what your probability was that you might have that condition. Imagine the integrity and completeness of such a system. No longer are you counting on a single individual (no matter how well-trained) to get it right. You could use that system-provided data to visit your physician and intelligently discuss any next steps. Yes–this is a “pie-in-the-sky” notion but it would accomplish so much improvement in the medical care arena. The doctor would appreciate it as well. But the big picture benefit is that the whole medical industry would become incredibly more efficient. This could reduce the medical rate of inflation which could reduce employer medical plan costs which could lead to more US-based manufacturing which, of course, leads to more jobs and a more vibrant economy. Think about it.
- A SOLUTION TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDING ISSUE… We must have eaten something today that spurred on our imagination juices. Here goes another idea. We all know that the Social Security income trust fund is slated for shortfalls in the next 10 to 20 years–depending on who you listen to. Part of that problem is the distasteful political impact of suggesting more contributions, lower benefits or a combination thereof. A key is the earnings base. The earnings base is the income level maximum that the FICA percentage is calculated against. In other words, annual earnings over that base amount are not subject to Social Security/Medicare contributions. In 2024 the earnings base will be $160,000. Why? SSA benefits have a max limit so individuals who make $300,000 to $400,000 or more will never receive the same proportionate SSA benefits as an individual making $40,000 annually. We suggest that the earnings base be eliminated so that ALL INCOME BE SUBJECTED TO FICA contributions. Yes–this is a liberal-socialistic viewpoint but it recognizes that all income taxes are progressive–meaning that the more you earn the higher your tax bracket. Why should the FICA tax be different? We’re not suggesting that FICA taxes on higher wage earners should be progressively higher like they are on regular income tax structures. But paying FICA on ALL income seems logical when comparing the progressive philosophy of our tax system. The more you make–the more you pay. Does the math work out–will this solve the SSA funding shortfall? Try it and see. It is the least painful way to solve at lease some of the funding issues.
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