The United States of America possesses a great resolve like no other nation. Our history demonstrates our ability to overcome challenges, domestic and abroad. Our nation overcame the global financial crisis, two world wars, 9/11, and many natural disasters. The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic is next on the list. To win this fight, steady leadership from our government and society uniting to take needed steps and adapt when necessary.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a challenge not experienced in quite some time. Our government needed to not only learn about the virus on the fly, but also overcome numerous economic, societal, and systemic challenges along the way. Unlike responses to hurricanes, wildfires, and known infectious diseases, there was no blueprint and response protocol in place. The nature of our way of life and global connectedness contributed greatly to our approach and risk. Far from an easy challenge.
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The impeachment of President Donald Trump is neither surprising nor shocking. Since November 9, 2016, the American public expected the Democratic Party would seek the removal of President Donald Trump from office at their first opportunity. At the time, the only questions were whether they would get the opportunity and how reasoned their case would be. Society plagued with a high level of political division might not handle partisan political ploys well. The hunt for power creates the justifications for means in the minds of the party seeking control.
No person or entity is above the law. Regardless of party affiliation, political ideology, or record of achievement. Corruption or direct violations of law is not offset by level of accomplishment or success. Just raises the stakes for the accusers. The political leanings of the process must be considered as well. Our criminal justice system cannot be used to reverse the will of fair and free elections for partisan endeavors.
THE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT:
Along party lines, the House of Representatives formally accused President Donald Trump of two crimes. Abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Two week of public hearings preceded the adoption of changes filled with high levels of political sensationalism. House leaders promised irrefutable and overwhelming charges. As always, they under-delivered.
The abuse of power is a common accusation against Presidents of both parties from their opposition. In this charge, Democrats accused President Trump of using his power as president to assist his possible political outcomes by seeking to attain damaging information on a potential political opponent. This related to a call and inquiry into actions occurring in Ukraine while Biden was Vice President. The initial talking points for this was deeming it a quid pro quo, which is not always illegal, but frequently used. Polling showed bribery was a more attractive word for prospective voters.
There was not enough evidence to push forward with a bribery charge. From the public hearings, there was little evidence provided to connect delays in funding with request for investigations. There was little evidence to show funds were materially delayed. Much of the testimony was from people without direct knowledge or memory. The only bombshell also provided the refutation of a quid pro quo actually existing.
In the second article of impeachment, Democrats accused President Trump of obstructing Congress. The charge was a result of President Trump deeming the House investigation as a political witch-hunt and not allowing staff to cooperate. The charge is a far less serious one than obstruction of justice. In reality, every modern-day president could face an obstruction of Congress charge, as every recent presidential administration has withheld information or testimony sought by Congress. Congress frequently decries this behaviors as it impedes its constitutional role and limits its authority to oversee the actions of the other branches, including the executive branch.
REASONABILITY:
The Constitution affords Congress the authority for impeachment and removal of a President for committing of high crimes and misdemeanors. There is not a clear definition of what these high crimes entail. But, many people reasonably crimes like murder, treason, mutiny, or crimes like that reach that level. Our history with impeachment demonstrates that Congress rarely worries about standard. All our past impeachments were highly political, and Trump’s was no exception.
Democrats want to use the appearance of a crime as enough reason to remove a political opponent. Anger, disappointment, and power grabs are not sufficient reason to remove a sitting President. For two years, every person across every political spectrum knew Democrats would pursue impeachment. Even after failing with the Russia collusion narrative, they did not seem to craft a strong case. This was case built on desperation.
RESULTS:
The outcome in the United States Senate was not much of a surprise for many reasons. The GOP controlled Senate had the votes for acquittal. There was little to no evidence presented by House Democrats to change pre-existing opinions. As expected, the United States Senate, controlled by the GOP, voted to acquit President Donald Trump on both articles of impeachment.
There was a great level of political hysteria infused in the process. In our constitution, the House of Representatives is tasked with investigating the offending government official and passing articles of impeachment to go to the Senate. The Senate is tasked with holding trial for that official, with Chief Justice presiding over a presidential impeachment. The Senate is not tasked with opening its own investigation or building on the charges presented to it. That is against our accepted system of justice.
Again, the appearance of a crime is not the same thing as a crime actually existing. In the Russia collusion investigation, Democrats used evidence they had a role in funding as the basis for investigating Trump. With Ukraine, they used hearsay evidence to pursue impeachment and cover possible corruption by then Vice President Joe Biden. Some question whether impeachment was legitimate or a partisan ploy. It appears to be clearly a partisan ploy.
The proper role of government is a never-ending debate taking place in our political forum. For quite some time, the narrative was the depth of government’s involvement in our daily lives, legislating decision best made within the confines of one’s home. Now, the main point of contention is government’s role as a market participant in industries politicians deem of national importance. The main question remains whether government is the best provider for many of these goods and services. Historically, it proven unable to handle similar responsibilities.
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There is not an easy answer to the question of what the best place is to live in here in the United States. Because of our societal structure and cultural diversity, people have many options in choosing a desirable residence. Some may choose to reside in urban or suburban environments. Others may prefer the quiet and tranquility of rural areas. Regardless, there are many options for one to choose from.
There are many factors that may impact the preference for one environment over another. Personal, financial, or cultural factors may have a great influence in where one chooses to set their roots or raise a family. Beyond our inner scope, public policy factors can also nudge our decision one way or another. Given the relative ease of relocation, compared to the past, the decision to reside in one location can change. External factors can drive such change.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is an iconic figure in the annals of American history. Dr. King exemplified the ability for an individual outside the typical halls of power to make indelible change in our society. All Americans, regardless of background, benefited from Dr. King’s message. A message establishing hope for a society united harmoniously regardless of race. Despite our challenges, America must strive to reduce social tension related to race, gender, and other demographics.
There is no easy answer to solve the racial tensions that seem to plague our society all to often. As the most diverse nation in the world, conflicting needs combined with past transgressions create challenges for identifying a workable and realistic solution. Strong emotions and unwavering political views harden stances. Our cultural political conditions create unnecessary dichotomies preventing society from solving many of our important issues. Until society can have a true honest dialogue surrounding our tensions, there really is no way forward.
An obstacle is some want to move past the issue by overlooking the need to address discrimination in its current form. Others want to weaponize discrimination and view every social conflict in the context of discrimination. Both sides miss the middle ground. Society needs to be able to address incidents without regression to division. There will always be conflicts or incidents involving different races. Facts must be vetted before one jumps to conclusions or dismisses possibilities.
The biggest impact society can accomplish in the near term is to reduce tensions and eliminate violence related to discrimination. There has yet to be a year in recent memory where headlines did not include stories covering the loss of life related to some form of discrimination. Whether it is a large- or small-scale event, hate crimes need to be stopped. People should not loss their lives for the mental illness of others. Society must fight hate in all its forms, not only the politically convenient.
Peoples must at a basic level respect the right for others to exist. Respect the right to life, life, and the pursuit of happiness of all, not a select few. One does not have to agree with or embrace another’s views or values, but one should respect their rights. The great aspect of America is the belief in openness for all and universal personal and political freedoms for all citizens. Also, it does not hurt to experience another culture or seek to bridge the gap between cultures by sharing commonalities.
Our failed attempts at fighting discrimination have largely resulted in a more divided society due to inconsistency. Resulted in more discriminatory feelings. Some use too broad of a paintbrush in exploiting every incident, creating groups to emote anger, resentment, and division. There is a need to combat discrimination and hate. But, there needs to be push towards ensuring justice and moving communities towards forgiveness and unity. Forgiveness is a critical aspect in American life that many miss.
Society needs to combat all forms of hate. Not only the politically convenient forms. Social harmony will not happen when hatred is ignored in certain circumstances and overreacted to in others. The approach only reinforces stereotypes of inequity, as one race bears the complete responsibility. In reality, all bear some responsibility. Hate will be defeated by love, learning, and tolerance, not entitlement, revenge, and anger.
No one can be sure if America will ever reach Dr. King’s Dream. That does not mean our society should stop trying. There is a clear need to identify a new path and dogma around the issue.
The economy is always a salient issue in every national election. The state of the economy directly impacts all people and serves as the foundation for all functions of society. Therefore, success in political campaigns requires that candidates have effective policy positions and overall visions for the future of our economy.
Many voters cast ballots with significant weight placed on their perception of how a chosen candidates’ economic policies will impact their wallets both short term and long term. Consideration given to how well policies will provide stability in employment, growth in investments, and future career opportunities.
Hysteria, marketing tactics, and pure misinformation can cloud how one views the condition and state of the economy. Prospective voters should understand what a good economy looks like and how it is measured. Understand basic economic principles underlying political talking points. Understand how government policy really impacts the economy.
A common answer in economics is the phrase “it depends”, which is applicable in judging how our economy is performing. There are many viewpoints to consider when evaluating our economy. A macro view looking at overall growth and wealth creation across our society. Or a micro view look at the economic condition of individuals in our society.
The term “economic growth” is commonly thrown around as clickbait in news coverage, which simply means our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was higher in the current period than the previous one. Conversely, an economic recession is when our GDP is lower in the current period than the previous one.
GDP measures the productivity of our domestically owned economic interests. Another measure used is Gross National Product (GNP), which measures productivity occurring within our borders. For more globally connected economies, GDP provides a broader view of the economic performance because some assets may be deployed overseas.
From a bird’s eye view, economic growth is good and desirable. Greater GDP and GNP reflects a nation’s collective wealth is expanding. Economists balance their view of the economy with more in-depth measures that reflect how well that growth spreads through society. Ideally, economic growth should create jobs, expand wealth, and improve productivity.
Periods of sustainable economic growth can help business decision makers choose to expand payrolls, depending on consumer demand and cost impact. More overall jobs can help spur wage growth as workers can market their skill set. Moreover, economic growth can help spark investment into innovations like new technology or new markets and industries.
A summary for defining a good economy is one that experience sustained economic growth creating net new jobs, expanding wealth through wage increases and investment returns, and creates incentives for innovation and entrepreneurial pursuits. A good economy provides increased government revenue through the numerous taxes levied by federal and state agencies.
The critical aspect for a good economy is creating opportunity. The source for American greatness over the years was opportunity and pursuit of success, whether financial or personal achievement. Unlike other economies, the United States economy is driven by the people, based on what is consumed and invested in. People make what people want.
The United States is the land of opportunity, which is why America is the clear global leader in immigration, bringing in people from around the world seeking better lives for their families. People enjoy the economic freedom to chase their dreams, leveraging hard work, ambition, and creativity to pursue all forms of success.
A nation built on the principles of self governance should maintain an economy affording economic freedom and uncapped success. Society is much better off if all take up the challenge of pursuing success and pushing the limits of human achievement. Risk can bear rewards well beyond the risk taker, who deserves to be compensated for their risk.
There is no perfect economic system, but free market capitalism by far does much better job of reducing overall poverty than any other model. Despite this fact, there are some challenges policymakers must address with appropriate policy measures and regulation. Keyword appropriate, as much of our economic issues are a direct result of regulatory missteps.
There always will be some people who struggle to compete in a dynamic economy like ours. Our economy rewards ingenuity, ambition, productivity, and innovation. Many people work hard, but are not able to find ways to make themselves stand out in crowded labor markets. The focus should be assisting them in skill acquisition instead of the politics of jealousy.
There is no real proof that government centric economic systems are sustainable in the long run. Many nations operating government centered economies fail to create jobs, grow wealth, and reduce cost for those living under these systems. Poverty, social violence, and international bailouts are a common theme in these nations.
No matter how often candidates re-brand failed economic policies of the path, society must choose to stay on the path that made the United States great. Focus on growth, job creation, wealth creation, and improving our social skill development systems. Empower people not government. A nation of the people should have an economy of the people as well.
The State of California took a controversial and questionable step in altering the employment relationship between many organizations and their independent contractors. California enacted legislation requiring companies to consider most classes of independent contractors as employees of the company. Proponents of the law praise access to many potential legal protections afforded to company employees. Opponents decry the potential negative impact it will have on businesses, especially ones that almost exclusively hire contract employees. As one can expect that other states will consider similar legislation, there is a need to better clarify what workers will be protected and provide clear exemptions for the obvious situations of true independent contract work.
The intent of the law is to close the loophole companies use to avoid labor costs, such as benefits and certain types of taxes, by using contract employees or independent contractors to fill key roles in worker pool. In the State of California, regulations cover employees of a company employees with benefits requirements, wage protections, and other workplace rules. For the most part, California exempts independent contractors from these rules, which makes them attractive to companies looking to lower cost associated with labor. There is a strong argument, which California accepts, that independent contractors are not truly independent when many companies enjoy great control over these workers and these workers perform the same duties as current employees. Worker rights groups and prominent labor unions pushed this narrative, as unions will see this as a path to expand access a broader pool of potential members.
Generally, a person is considered an independent contractor if they operate outside the direct supervision of the payer and enjoy control over work schedule, equipment used, and cost control. The payer, the company or person, may negotiate a fee schedule, provide a definition of the deliverable, and deadlines, but the independent contractor has control over the process and how they arrive at the deliverable. In the cases of true independent contractor relationships, organizations may seek to exert greater influence on how the end product is produced, as regulatory bodies and customers require greater insight into supply chains, including professional services. For instance, one might want to protect against contractors that might hire illegal or child labor or freely associate with criminal activity. Sometimes the burden is on the company to ensure compliance of expected behavior beyond the contractual clauses. Another factor to consider is the growth in popularity of freelancing relationships, especially among younger workers. Many of these workers graduated into the stagnant economy during the Obama era, where permanent full time opportunities were limited, but when many tech companies offered new opportunities. Companies like Uber, Lyft, and others provided a way for people to earn compensation on their own schedule using the companies app. Besides some terms and conditions aimed at protecting end consumers, users of these apps were free to work at the own convenience, create their own strategy to maximize profits, and come and go as they pleased. The gig economy was born out of necessity created by an economic environment that did not create jobs, which many do enjoy working under. These users clearly fall under the definition of independent contractor. While tech startups enjoy great profitability projections and popularity, the type of labor used still falls under the acceptable definition. Other service industry workers received exemptions from California. Service industry workers like barbers and hair stylists are considered independent contractors, although their shops enjoy greater control over the work process and cost generation than the tech startups. These companies could do more to provide access to benefits, but rules should be consistent, not based solely on the profitability of the entity.
The appropriate area of regulation is where organizations bring in these workers to perform duties similar to those of staffed employees. Many staffing companies provide organizations with contract labor to supplement existing worker bases without the cost of benefits and certain types of taxes. The company enjoys control over them as if they are staff, but also enjoys the lower cost of labor. These relationships are ones states like California should seek to apply the new regulations to. There is a plethora of contract employees performing exactly the same duties as staff employees at a much lower rate and benefit free from both the organization and the staffing agency. The clear path forward is focusing regulation on labor sourced through staffing agencies where workers perform the same duties as current employees. Placing limitations of periods of temporary employment or greater rules around temporary to permanent positions may help improve access to benefits and tax dollars. But, gig economy organizations do deserve some level of exemption from classifying their users as employees. These users are not employees and operate under the clear definition of independent contractor. Companies could also help their case by providing optional access to benefits packages to users that utilize the app for a defined period.
The closing of the loophole is well intended as many companies are going too far in their labor strategies and leave many people exposed. But, policymakers should protect the availability of contract labor and independent work relationships, which benefit millions. Many people understand what they are signing for and accept the conditions. Regulate where appropriate, but in a fair and consistent manner. Understandably, the worker rights group and labor unions did not fund this effort without expecting access to these worker pools to bolster potential members.
Our society does not always assign responsibility for behaviors to the party most in control of said behaviors. How can it be improved? Please click above to find out and more.
POLITICAL FALLACIES