Latest on the Georgia Gubnatorial Purge

This will be short. Republican Brian Kemp, former Georgia Secretary of State now declared Governor, fixed the recent election in his favor. This was easy for him to do because by law the Secretary of State is in charge of elections. By abusing his power and violating his oath of office, he succeeded in purging half a million votes from the Georgia voter rolls.

His trick was the use of name-matching software designed to suppress votes in blue and purple counties. The difference in votes between Kemp and Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate (54,723), was far less that the number of votes purged. Read the story by reporter Greg Palast and if you are in a position to help, then help. Donate your money or your time.

This case has national dimensions. Twenty-five other states are using the same software to illegally purge voter rolls in blue and purple districts.

I again urge you to read Palast’s article, dated November 16, 2018 and act.

For earlier articles by Palast from 2018 dealing with voting scams in Georgia and Florida click here

Pelosi's Poisonous Neoliberal Proposal

It’s no wonder that the progressives in Congress are enraged with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. According to an article in AlterNet originally published in Common Dreams, Pelosi “is pushing for a rule that would ”require a three-fifths supermajority to raise individual income taxes on the lowest-earning 80 percent of taxpayers."

This proposal would make it difficult, if not impossible, to extend Medicare to all, which is probably the most effective proposal that progressives ran on in the recent mid-term elections.

True, it is likely that some lower-income taxpayers will pay more taxes in order to gain a greater medical benefit, but taxes are historically low and the middle classes can afford to pay more to obtain an even greater benefit. As a result, Pelosi’s proposed rule requiring a 3/5 majority to increase taxes on the bottom 80% of taxpayers could—and probably would—kill an expansion in Medicare.

It is patently obvious that healthier people are more productive than the unhealthy and earn a higher net income. Moreover, a general improvement in health would lower overall medical expenses and likely lead to lower premiums for everyone.

As the article points out, Pelasi’s proposal is part of the conservative project, not a progressive or even liberal project. The best description is neoliberal.