January 2, 2014

The Stock Market Soared In 2013, So Where Are The Jobs?

Free-market capitalists, which apparently is just about any Republican these days, tell us government is too burdensome to businesses and we need to cut taxes. Their standard message for how to get the economy moving is to cut taxes and get government out of the way. There’s just one problem, the economy, at least as measured by the major stock indexes, finished 2013 with tremendous gains, and that means the personal economy of so-called “job creators” is doing quite well. How’s your personal economy coming along?

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December 24, 2013

The Christian Right Wishes To Protect Intolerant ‘Religious’ Beliefs

There is great absurdity in calling “the left” intolerant, as it relates to the Duck Dynasty / Phil Robertson “story,” when the Christian right is masterful at employing intolerance by masquerading it as a protected religious belief. They wish to portray “the left” as being intolerant when liberals criticize hateful religious beliefs. If these religious beliefs were harmless, and if these religious beliefs were not discriminatory, then maybe, just maybe the Christian right would have a point. But if a Christian conservative vocally condemns an entire group of people based on sexual preference, or race, or anything else that is part of what makes them human, that is true intolerance, and they will rightfully be labeled a bigot.

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December 20, 2013

Some Conservatives Believe It’s A Bigger Crime To Be Labeled A Bigot, Than To Be A Bigot

Judging by all the crazy right-wing Facebook posts after A&E suspended Phil Robertson from “Duck Dynasty” (and if you don’t know what I’m talking about I say good for you!), it has become apparent there are many people who don’t understand that freedom of speech works both ways. You can say whatever you want, and anyone can say whatever they want in response. If you are criticized for comments you make, this criticism is not an infringement of your freedom of speech. And if the company you work for believes your comments are harmful to their business, they can suspend you or fire you unless they are explicitly doing so on religious or racial grounds. Sadly, they could legally fire you just for being gay or lesbian, but that’s for another day and another article.

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December 19, 2013

Does Speeding Cause Accidents?

Two simple words: Speed kills. That’s what we are told. But is speeding really the root cause of many traffic accidents? I argue speeding is rarely the root cause of an accident, but is instead a contributing factor in many cases. I think driver distraction coupled with an unhealthy dose of both entitlement and presumption play much larger roles in most traffic accidents.

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December 14, 2013

More Guns In The Hands Of A Raving Fringe

On the one-year anniversary of Sandy Hook, and one day after the latest school shooting, there are still many Americans who are passive on the issue of gun control. In fact, many Americans who don’t own guns, and some who don’t even like guns at all and wish they didn’t exist, are still apathetic to the issue of firearm proliferation in this country. For decades the percentage of households with a firearm has decreased while the number of total firearms has increased. That means being quiet on this issue, being indifferent when a few resolute lawmakers attempt something as seemingly practical as universal background checks, leads to a hoarding of arms by a few raving lunatics. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying every household with a firearm is occupied by crazy people. But what I am saying is that there is a fringe minority in this country who are amassing large stockpiles of guns and ammunition. Can you honestly tell me that you don’t care about this?

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December 5, 2013

Why Are Middle Class Incomes Stagnant? Are We Simply Unproductive Compared To The Super Wealthy?

Would you like to make an extra $50,000, $75,000, or $100,000 dollars a year? I know I would. Would you like a yearly income of $75,000, $150,000, or $300,000? In reality, most Americans make far less than even the lowest amount I listed. In 2012, the median income in America was $51,017, which was down slightly from 51,100 the year before. The poverty rate was 15%, which is over 45 million people. For the bottom 90% of the country, wages have been flat for the past three decades compared to top percent earners who have seen their income double, triple and more.

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