#to pay for private top class healthcare while his subjects

[vryivs]

I always forget that monarchists exist and then I see someone with the username duchessofmyheartforever or williamisababe posting about how it's mean to giggle at an ultrarich economic leech experiencing just a fraction of struggle and inconvenience (because lets be honest, he probably wont kick the bucket—his doctors are paid to keep his corpse animated long after it ceases to be humane)

[lawblrwithalcohol]

A Modest Proposal for the Modern World

   It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great nation, or travel to others, when they see the streets, the roads, and tenement-doors crowded with gig-workers of all kinds, found in three’s, four’s, or six’s, all in thrift-store-bought clothes, and refreshing LinkedIn every five minutes.  These ... adults, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood and advance their careers, are forced to employ all their time searching for four hours labor to pay interest on student loans and rent on run down boarding houses, instead of being accountants, designers, speech-writers, historians, and musicians.

   I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of underemployed adults is due in no small part to the prodigious number of unintentially old adults, who, through no fault of their own, have lived far beyond what was once believed to be the natural life span of a man, and who, through their own mismanagement, have not the savings or security to retire the field and spectate on the great game that is our magnificent capitalist economy; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and easy method of making these old adults give up their postings and leave for the young and hungry the incomes of their posts would deserve to have his statue made of finest stone and his placard inscribed in gold.

   But my intention is very far from being confined to provide only for the old adults still reaping the benefits of their postings for the fifth decade: it is of a much greater extent, and shall take in the whole number of adults past their seventy-third birthday, who now take safety and surety from the young either by holding on to positions of monetary reward or by claiming public benefits for more than one decade.

   As to my own part, having turn my thoughts for many years, in between looking for gigs of my own, upon this important subject, and maturely weighted the several schemes of our projectors, both government and private, both liberal and conservative, I have always found those projections to be grossly mistaken in their conclusions.  It is true, an aged man requires less food, space, and amenities than a young one, but the aged men I see do in fact elect to use more than even three young men!  And I see no harm in allowing a period of years, certainly no more than ten, for a man to relax and enjoy the fruit of his labors while he still has strength of limb to do so.  But it is precisely when this strength fails him, when all his prodigious wealth is turned to pills and potions and prolongings, that I propose he should instead think of how he might contribute to the betterment of society.

   There is likewise another advantage to my scheme, that it will prevent that slow spiral and decay that all fear and which many know as The Long Goodbye: the loss of memory, of fellowship, of freedom that makes of a man a shell of who he once was.

   The sheer number of souls in this land being usually reckoned upwards of 100 million, of these I calculate there may be 15 million so-known aged adults, from whom I would subtract two million as those who live with family and instead of being burdensome instead provide support in the form of cooking, child-care, cleaning, and other non-economic benefits, but this being granted, there will remain 13 million aged adults.  The question therefore is, how this number shall be brought to see the common sense of their retirement, which, as I have already said, under the present situation of affairs, is utterly to blame for the stagnation and infantilization of the young adults of the nation.  For the young can neither gain entry to those fields for which they have been trained nor advance if they were lucky enough to receive an entry level position, often requiring a minimum of five years of relevant experience, without the removal of the top of the hierarchy so that those of middling age may advance and free up postings for the young.

   I am assured by our bankers and economists, that a man of years, but no more than 60, is a valuable worker, a sharp mind, and a driver of the great machine of industry, but that a man beyond that is all too often trapped in his way, antiquated in his approach, and full of rust in his gears.  He does not aid his employer or his field by remaining on the pitch and should instead be sent home to enjoy his last few days on this earth out in the fresh, which is just reward for spending so few of his days before then out of sight of his desk, calendar, and fluorescent-lit office. 

   I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.

   I have been assured by a very knowing Chinese of my acquaintance in Seattle, that an old, decrepit man, is, at 73 years old, past his prime as a man and in his prime as kindling, his muscles having disappeared and his frame instead filled out with fat, for the fires of our power plants, though of course he must first be humanely put down and drained of all congealing fluid.

   I do therefore humbly offer it to public consideration, that of the 13 million aged adults, already computed, all may be be disposed of by exsanguination and immolation to decrease our reliance upon foreign energy suppliers and reduce the burden on our governmental support structures while increasing the availability of profitable and desirable postings for the young men and women of our nation.

   I have reckoned that a man in this country will weigh 165 pounds upon retirement, most of that muscle and bone, but, if given ten years of leisure, he will weight 225 pounds and most of it will be burnable fat.

   I grant that these men will be somewhat rare in more healthy climes, but those climes are well suited to supplying energy through solar or wind anyway and do not rely upon fuel-burning plants to create electricity.

   The supply of these gentlemen will be guaranteed, as our country has very fine healthcare and is able to ensure that any man of standing is able to live to see 70 at the least, provided the man himself cooperates with his health and is not subject to fast living.  This measure will also have the benefit of freeing our healthcare industry to more readily focus on those great problems faced predominantly by the young, who have no money with which to fund such research today, as opposed to those minor affections endured by the old, such as erectile dysfunction.

   I have already computed the output of such a man’s frame, and have found it to be about the same as three gallons of foreign-bought oil; and I believe no gentleman would object to his own immolation if he knew it meant we would be free of foreign interest and beholden to none other.  Thus our cities will be alight, our young burning with ambition, and our industry steaming along.

   Those who are more lean, as some men become in their age instead of fat, may still take solace in knowing that in joining with all others, they have not failed their country, but instead carried out the finest duty we could ask of them.

   As to the collection of these men, our hospitals and hospices are already equipped for the administering and transportation of them, and our doctors and nurses well know their needs and complaints.  Have no fear, these men shall receive only the finest of treatment as their wick burns down.

   A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, and whose virtues I highly esteem, was lately pleased in discoursing on this matter, to offer a refinement upon my scheme, He said, that many wives of this nation, having lately been discouraged from cooking traditional, Julia Child-esque meals, might find new life and vigor in the knowledge that those meals would be most desirable by the government, and that cookbooks, programs, and community classes on preparing hearty and vigorous meals should be a priority of any scheme that seeks to make use of the old.  I heartily agreed and thanked him for such enlightening advice, and assured him that I would roll out such an addendum the moment my scheme was adopted.

   I have perhaps too long expounded on the potential of this scheme, and therefore shall return the the meat of it: I think the advantages my proposal are obvious and many, as well as of the highest importance.

   First, as has already been observed, it will great reduce the number of underemployed gig-workers as the positions at the top will be emptied, soon to be filled by those in the middle, leaving open the middle for the bottom to grab, and opening the bottom postings for the young and hungry.

   Second, the ramshackle neighborhoods and dilapidated boarding houses will be done away with as those newly employed shall find newly vacated housing units in far nicer neighborhoods, leaving the slumlords to refurbish or demolish their slums.

   Third, whereas it is always good to reduce our dependence on others for power, our use of foreign oil will go down and our global power will go up.  For surely no harm ever came of disentangling ourselves from the business interests of other nations.

   Fourth, the children of the aged will be relieved of the overpowering burden and heartbreak of The Long Goodbye and will instead know the day and time to make their farewells.

   Fifth, the taxes exacted by our government shall decrease as there will no longer be a need to maintain a man’s livelihood for three decades after he is no longer working.

   Many other advantages might be enumerated, should the time be taken to fully explore the ramifications of this proposal, but for brevity’s sake I will not do so here.

   I can think of no one objection, that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged, that a number of people will thereby much lessened in the nation.  This I freely own, but as the population will decrease proportionately across all states, no state shall gain advantage and no seats of Congress will be reapportioned, saving perhaps those of Florida.  

   Therefore I ask that none talk to me of whatever faux destractions they may conjure for my plan, lest they have some other scheme that would do so much good for the nation.  

   I profess in the sincerity of my intentions, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the public good of my country, by advancing trade, providing for the young, reliving our tax burden, and giving some pleasure to those stuck in the middle.  I have no grandparents.  I have no children who would benefit from these measures.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damn this was fun to write!  I claim no copyright, having lifted several sentences and passages from “A Modest Proposal”, but ask only that the internet not burn me at the stake for my attempt at comedy in these trying times.

@charmedatlaw I hope this made you laugh, or at the least, shake your ruefully.

[theculturedmarxist]

     By    Patrick Martin    

       29 June 2019  

Four hours of nationally televised debates Wednesday and Thursday among 20 Democratic presidential candidates demonstrated the gigantic disconnect between the claims of this pro-war, pro-corporate party to be driven by concerns for the well-being of working people and the reality of poverty and oppression in America, for which the Democratic Party is no less responsible than the Republicans.

The stage-managed spectacle mounted by NBC marked the formal beginning of an electoral process dominated by big money and thoroughly manipulated by the corporate-controlled media.

The attempt to contain the growing left-wing opposition in the working class and channel it behind the second oldest capitalist party in the world necessarily assumed the form of lies and demagogy. For the most part, the vying politicians, all of them in the top 10 percent on the income ladder, made promises to provide healthcare, jobs, decent schools, tuition-free college and a clean environment for all, knowing full well they had no intention of carrying them out.

No one—neither the millionaire media talking heads asking the questions nor the candidates—dared to mention the fact that that Democratic Party has just voted to give Trump an additional $4.9 billion to round up, detain and torture hundreds of thousands of immigrants, including children, in the growing network of concentration camps being set up within the US. Facts, as they say, are stubborn things, and this one demonstrates the complicity of the Democratic Party in the fascistic policies of the Trump administration.

The second night of the debate featured the front-runners, former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Biden has a long record of reactionary politics, including in the Obama administration. Sanders is continuing in this election his role in 2016 of channeling growing support for socialism into the framework of a right-wing party.

The fraud of a “progressive” Democratic Party and presidential candidate was summed up in the near-universal declaration of the media that Senator Kamala Harris had emerged as the clear winner, part of a coordinated effort to promote her candidacy. The African-American senator was lauded for attacking Biden for statements boasting of his ability in the past to collaborate with segregationist senators and his past opposition to busing for school integration.

It was Harris who adopted the most transparently bogus posture of left-radicalism in Thursday night’s debate, repeatedly declaring her agreement with Bernie Sanders and raising her hand, along with Sanders, to support the abolition of private health insurance in favor of a single-payer system. By Friday morning, however, she had reversed that stand, claiming she had “misheard” the question and declaring her support for the continuation of private insurance.

Harris climbed to the Senate by serving for years in the Bay Area of California as a law-and-order district attorney and state attorney general, defending police killers and bankers engaged in foreclosure fraud, including Trump’s current treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. A member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, she has been among the most rabid of Democrats in attacking Trump as a stooge of Russian President Putin. In Thursday’s debate, her main foray into foreign policy was to denounce Trump for being soft on Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

She is being promoted most enthusiastically by those sections of the ruling class, whose views are promoted by the New York Times, who want the Democratic campaign to be dominated by racial and gender politics so as to mobilize the party’s wealthy upper-middle class base and divert and divide the mass working class anger over social inequality.

Many of the candidates fondly recalled the Obama administration. But those eight years saw the greatest transfer of wealth from working people to the super-rich in American history. The pace was set by the initial $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, which was expanded to uncounted trillions in the course of 2009, combined with the bailout of the auto companies at the expense of the autoworkers, who suffered massive cuts in benefits and a 50 percent cut in pay for new hires, rubber-stamped by the United Auto Workers.

The Obama administration also deported more immigrants than any other, a fact that was raised in a question to Vice President Biden, who confined himself to empty declarations of sympathy for the victims of Trump’s persecution, while denying any comparison between Trump and Obama.

Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado attacked Biden for claiming credit for a bipartisan budget deal in 2011 with Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. Far from a genuine compromise, he said, the deal “was a complete victory for the Tea Party. It extended the Bush tax cuts permanently,” as well as putting in place major cuts in social spending which continue to this day. Bennet neglected to mention that he had voted for the deal himself when it passed the Senate by a huge majority.

It was remarkable, under conditions where President Trump himself declared that the United States was only 10 minutes away from launching a major assault on Iran earlier this month, that the 20 Democratic candidates spent almost no time discussing foreign policy.

In the course of four hours, there were only a few minutes devoted to the world outside the United States. The silence on the rest of the world cannot be dismissed as mere parochialism.

Many of the Democratic presidential candidates are deeply implicated in either the policy-making or combat operations of US imperialism. The 20 candidates include two who were deployed as military officers to Iraq and Afghanistan, Buttigieg and Tulsi Gabbard; Biden, vice president for eight years and the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and five senators who are members of high-profile national security committees: Harris and Bennet on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand on the Armed Services Committee, and Cory Booker on the Foreign Relations Committee.

If these ladies and gentlemen decide not to engage on foreign policy, the reason is clear: the Democrats know that the American people are adamantly opposed to new military interventions. They therefore seek to conceal the preparations of American imperialism for major wars, whether regional conflicts with Iran, North Korea or Venezuela, or conflicts with nuclear-armed global rivals like China and Russia.

In the handful of comments that were made on foreign policy, the Democratic candidates struck a belligerent note. On Wednesday, four of the ten candidates declared the main global threat to the United States to be China, while New York Mayor Bill de Blasio opted for Russia. Many candidates referred to the need to combat Russian interference in the US election—recycling the phony claims that Russian “meddling” helped Trump into the White House in 2016.

On the first night, Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, asked to name the greatest global security threat, replied, “The greatest threat that we face is the fact we are at a greater risk of nuclear war today than ever before in history.” This remarkable declaration was passed over in silence by the moderators and the other candidates, and the subject was not raised on the second night at all, including by Bernie Sanders.

[larrykrakow]

Censorship: When Is It Warranted And Why?

New Post has been published on https://theprogressivemind.org/censorship-when-is-it-warranted-and-why/

Censorship: When Is It Warranted And Why?

Censorship was a big subject in George Orwell’s book, “1984”. At times, I feel like we are living in that kind of an era again. Was George Orwell giving us a warning about what would happen to us as our world began to become more connected?

I tend to err on the side of free speech.

When has the government crossed the line? Censorship is perhaps the most egregious violation of our founding principles.

Unfortunately, people in power don’t care about free speech. They trample all over our rights as a way to maintain control. The only problem that they have is that there are people like me. I speak up when my rights are taken away. Sadly, I am just one guy, so if you are reading this, I am depending upon you to share this information. Tell people what your government is doing to YOU. Do not let them be the arbiters of what can and cannot be said. It is that simple. That is why the First Amendment of our Constitution does not give any stipulation where free speech is not protected. Sure, you cannot yell “fire” in a crowded movie theater, but you get what I am saying.

First, I want to give you a back story to this. I will keep it short, because you may be reading this on your lunch break. After all, a half hour is not enough to digest an in depth piece about something as complex as this.

Censorship is the subject, but what is the excuse?

I never liked Donald Trump, but I felt that his time would pass and Americans would become wise to the con job he was performing on those that fell for his BS. My job as a butcher in Stewart Manor is just outside of the New York City limits. I started feeling symptoms of Covid19 on the 12th of March. It was mostly body aches. Not thinking much of it, believing it was just fatigue from working, I went shopping after work for some odds and ends.  I made it home that evening quite sore. My wife felt my head and knew I had a temperature. Covid19 was just starting to explode in New York and now I was sure that I was the next victim.

If we have not learned anything in our history, the one thing we should cherish is free speech. That allows us to call out our leadership for their handling of Covid19 and other crises. We live in tough times and having a right to speak up is our only way to insure that changes come.

That day would be my last day at work for five weeks. For the first two, I was very sick and the following three, recovering from 20 pounds of weight loss and weakness.

During the worst of it all, I had passed out in my bathroom and was unconscious for about a minute as my wife was yelling out my name. When I looked up, she had thought my eyes were turning grey as they often do as a person is dying. I came to and made it back to bed. That day was my wife’s birthday.

She spent two weeks putting a cold compress on me around the clock and trying really hard to keep me eating and drinking fluids. I did not even have the ability to move out of the bed for about three days straight during the worst of my illness.

Eventually, all started to turn for the better and I was getting ready to start to speak.

As I started to recover and get back to eating, I made a decision. Knowing that this pandemic could have been handled much better by the system, by our government and mostly, by the fascist himself, Donald Trump, I decided that I would have to write about my experience. I launched this blog with my first piece on April 16th. It was a trying time for me and I had a lot of resentment for the system that runs our country. My wife and I could not receive any support from the outside world other than moral support. We were on our own as if we had been abandoned. This blog fast became my outlet for my anger at a system that left all of us behind long before the virus ever came to our shores.

I am fairly certain that most of you who are reading this blog understand why the working class struggles in many ways. Covid19 hit the working class the hardest.  Our values are shot down by establishment members of both parties. Our wages, healthcare and equal pay for equal work are often under attack. Covid19 put me out of work for five weeks. I did not receive one penny of sick pay or any way to recover lost time. Thankfully, I have a wife who does very well, so we made it through this bad stretch without any financial problems.

Fast forwarding a few weeks, I was thumbing through Twitter, one of the organizations who would soon censor content.

I looked through my recommendations of people to follow and I followed an account named Peace Data. While viewing their profile, I clicked on their website link and saw articles about war crimes and human rights violations. I sent them a message telling them how good it was to see fellow writers challenging the system followed by a link to my blog. They reached out back to me and suggested that I start submitting content through their website. The communications were on and my first articles started going up. The first one that I submitted to them was called “The Military Industrial Complex  and The Working Class” followed by a piece outlining the environmental problems brought on by capitalism.

My pieces with this website, called Peace Data were often more in depth than what I would say on my blog. I felt that my blog was a place to be agitational and that Peace Data was trying to establish themselves as a quality place for independent media. I knew that they were foreign, saying that they were based in Germany. They were happy with the work I was sending them and about once every week, I would send another article for them to publish.

My portfolio of free speech kept on expanding through the pandemic.

By the time that the summer had arrived, I had almost a half a dozen pieces published on Peace Data. My blog was suffering a little bit as I took time to submit to them. I was ok with that as my word was spreading to more places on the Internet. It was refreshing that I was able to speak to someone from another part of the world who was able to understand in the moment what was going wrong with America.

FBI Director, Cristopher Wray laid the groundwork for First Amendment violations by establishing the Foreign Intelligence Task Force

I kept on communicating and submitting pieces.

Most of them were critical of the Trump administration, because he was in charge and failing us.

There was an occasional piece on the website ripping Biden and Harris, but it was not exactly hitting them hard. Most of the criticism on the site was about war and capitalism.

As the end of the summer neared, life took over a bit and writing took a back seat to spending time with my wife. Between work and time with my wife, I had little time to write. In addition to writing, I am currently studying to teach English as a second language as a fall back option when my body gives out and I can no longer do physical work. As I got back into writing and building my presence online,

I faced censorship.

Well, not me personally, but Peace Data was. At first, I did not know what to expect. Censorship was going to become a central theme in my life, even though I was not the owner of Peace Data. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all deleted profiles and posts related to Peace Data. Every post that I made of an article on Peace Data had been removed by Facebook. They went after my content, even though they did not go after me. The censorship started from the FBI and went through social media and then the mainstream media and finally towards more independent media.

My wife paid attention to my emails for me while I was working, because she kept on top of things for me while writing for Peace Data. She was proud to see me, a working class man, building something in my life towards a less physically demanding path. That said, I started receiving messages on LinkedIn from news outlets. My wife would let me know about these during the day and I would handle them that night, once I was at home.

The FBI told the social media world to censor Peace Data.

As a rule of thumb, our government is not supposed to question free speech. So why did this happen here? What warranted this form of censorship? Is it ok for the federal government to just say that something online is divisive? When did the government get the power to come after free speech from overseas? Even worse, why are the major social networks going along with this? I personally believe that the next step was even worse. The mainstream media reported about this matter in a very irresponsible and amateur way. It is sad that as a butcher, a member of the working class and a college dropout that I can recognize lousy journalism.

CNN and Reuters were the first outlets to contact me. They wanted to have me give them all of the email addresses from PayPal senders compensating me for my work on Peace Data. The mainstream outlets did not want to hear about my story or my content. They all ran with the narrative that this site was a website designed to divide the left and hurt Joe Biden. There was absolutely no evidence that this was the case, yet they ran with it anyway.

CNN and other major outlets supported the mind controlling censoring of a small operation.

Even if they had evidence, they did not want to share it with me. In fact, they relied on a private intelligence firm to piece together forensics that identified the people at Peace Data as fake people who in reality did not exist.

My counter argument to that one is that if someone wants to say something that challenges power in a way that is dangerous to themselves, isn’t it safer to stay anonymous? After all, much of the content on the website, including writing of my own went after the military industrial complex which makes many people insanely wealthy while destroying the lives of millions of people around the world.

When major news outlets trot out a breaking news story, they often do not look at the circumstances surrounding the story. They put out the sensational story and hope that their prime audience will keep their butts molded to their reclining chairs and their eyes on their screens.

In this case, a CNN reporter reached out to me to communicate. He already had intended to run out with the story that he was told was the truth. I do not believe that he really investigated all angles of this story. He only wanted information about how I was paid for the articles that I had submitted. He never asked me one thing about my experience.

The same thing can be said about reporters from other mainstream media outlets. The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNN, NBC News and the New York Times all pushed out the same narrative.

This was a Russian trolling operation so the FBI deemed that it should be censored.

Why was this the case? The content didn’t match any of the claims made in the CNN reporter’s reporting. In fact, he stated that…

Intelligence officials told Congress earlier this summer that Russia was spreading false information about Biden. – CNN article.

The content on Peace Data did not show up as anything that would turn progressive voters against Biden. In fact, the fight between the factions of the Democratic party had already existed since long before Hillary Clinton ran for President. The FBI played up misinformation from Russia as an excuse to tell the social media outlets to shut down everything associated with Peace Data. In fact, in 2017, the FBI laid the groundwork to go after free speech.

They established what is called the Foreign Influence Task Force.

The main goal of this office is to go after free speech that challenges a narrative. I will remind you about the text of the First Amendment of our Constitution.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This is absolute. There is absolutely NO challenging this fact. The only reason that nobody has challenged this is that the narrative about Russian interference has been played. Most people who find an attack on free speech to be way BEYOND the pale. It offends most of us, including some of Donald Trump’s supporters.

In other words, the FBI can say that any foreign outlet who is critical of American foreign policy can be labeled by the FBI as a foreign influencer thus leading to social media outlets shutting down their pages, links and accounts of members associated with such organization. This means that people who want to expose war crimes around the world committed in OUR name run the risk of being shut up.

This is NOT a supporting piece favoring Russia, but it IS a piece favoring the right to speech, full stop.

So what did CNN want to report about? They and other mainstream outlets wanted to run with a story about Russian interference in our elections. Did they actually show any content that was damaging to Joe Biden as they stated Peace Data published? Did any other reporters? They did not, but they made that claim that they did. I will eat my words if they produce screenshots from Peace Data showing that other than one article soon after Biden announced his VP pick, Kamala Harris. I can recall only one article critical of the Biden/Harris ticket yet I can say that I saw many anti-Trump articles.

Is this an excuse to go after our freedom of speech? After all, speech is the one tool that people have to challenge power. I was fortunate enough to have conversations with reporters from three news outlets that decided that it was important to look further into the story instead of running with sensationalism. The first one was Jacob Silverman from Slate. He wrote ax excellent piece that explained different angles of this situation. https://slate.com/technology/2020/09/peace-data-russia-disinformation-facebook.html

I then spoke with a couple of reporters from ProPublica who weren’t convinced that this was a story that they were interested in pursuing.

A few days later, I had a meeting on Zoom with Jen Kirby, Foreign and National Security Reporter for VOX. We had a great conversation with a lot of hypotheticals and the philosophical angle to this story. Sure, her angle was supposed to be centered around national security which is ultimately was, but she gave credence to the idea that speech ought to be protected by sharing my views in her article. As seen in her article, the problem with the challenge is not that it was Russia creating the so called disinformation.

Kirby told her readers that MY opinion is that free speech is protected and the danger associated with leaving the power to regulate speech in the state. That shows that her mind was open to seeing the whole picture instead of what the mainstream media pushes out.  You can read her article here. —> https://www.vox.com/2020/9/21/21401149/russia-2020-election-meddling-trump-biden

So how was censorship used by the FBI?

That one is simple. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are some of the most powerful business entities in the world. They cooperate with the most powerful government in the world as well. Originally, social media was meant to be a way for people to share anything and everything, a neutral bulletin board. Over the years, it evolved into a mesh of political ideologies challenging, bickering and in some cases, serving as an echo chamber for people of certain political leanings.

Many of your conspiracy theories that bounce around the web originate in a corner of the web. It is the right of individuals to spread false news. It is the right of the victim of fake news to sue for slander if they can trace the origins of the conspiracy. In fact, most of the conspiracies known today originate right here in America. Q’Anon started in America as we know and Alex Jones rambles all day long about conspiracies.

So why was a website with legitimate content targeted? One may never know. Perhaps there were things that were serious red flags, but did anyone from Peace Data commit a crime against America? I believe that the First Amendment vindicates them as they have a right to post whatever content online that they wish. Were they wrong to publish things that they published in some cases? Yes, probably so, but when does the FBI get to call out that speech when the Constitution is explicit about their lack of a right to take away speech.

One can argue that Facebook and Twitter are private companies with a right to censor.

I have been openly threatened with violence on Facebook. I have reported those comments to Facebook and their answer was that it did not violate any community standards. So, are articles critical of American foreign policy meddling? Is it meddling if someone in another country says something online like “I hope Trump loses and get thrown in jail for his crimes?” I can say it in America. It is MY right, but why isn’t it a right of someone else in another country, even if linked to a foreign government?

So if Facebook and the other social media giants out there resort to censorship on direction from the FBI, then is the FBI guilty of that censorship? One might argue that in a court room. I believe somebody should. Censorship of hate speech is one thing, if it is on social media and the private social media company pulls down the content for violations of their standards. On the other hand, if the FBI or any other federal agency does, it is an action taken to limit freedom of speech in violation of the First Amendment. 

Where do I go from here? We are headed into potentially dangerous times with a dangerous President in power and a stacked judiciary that does not care about the rule of law. The focus on what is called a 200 follower trolling outfit is a huge misuse of resources in our government, but it is also an effective way to stifle dissent.

If this emerges as a pattern and websites with opinion content start to show up and get taken down, our government has set a dangerous precedent. 

I want to invite you to fight against the power to censor content as much as possible.

We are all in this together. Sure, there is a lot of noise out there on the Internet. Conspiracy theories are everywhere. Jacob Silverman and Jen Kirby are both on your side in their reporting. They want you to get the facts and stay informed. They also have integrity and do not wish to push out a story like the broken mainstream media. The biggest media outlets have a strategy to keep you engaged so that their advertisers have as many eyes on their commercials as possible. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal want you to thumb past full page ads. Major online outlets want you to go to their site and follow their clickbait.

Ultimately, all three forces, the government, social media and mainstream media all work together in many ways. It is the reason why you often hear millionaires tell you about what the problems are in the country through the lens of a billionaire. It is the reason why we need checks and balances to protect OUR freedoms. Speech is your only way that YOU can put a check on power. If your government is doing something that you do not like, you MUST speak up. You cannot allow the government to shut down content in any way without sharing the facts to you.

With that said, I ask the FBI to produce those facts to me. If they don’t, then Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee at the FBI is responsible for taking away my right, even if the place that I speak is considered by some to be a Russian troll farm. If I am in the dark on that, so be it, one should prove it. That includes the FBI, social media admins AND the mainstream media. Harm is done when voices are silenced without attention to facts.

You have a right to live a life free of censorship.

Finally, I might make another point. The way that you consume media is an important factor in shaping the direction of your country. If you stick to the corporate mainstream media as a way to get your information, I can promise you, the information that you will receive will be presented in a way that benefits the corporations. You can boost their ratings and thus boost their revenue, but that will not help you. If you go to a much more independent news source that goes in depth and breaks things down honestly like Kirby and like Silverman, you can rest assured that you found reliable information.

[districofcolumbiaprelawland-blog]

#FreeBritney But Why?

By Trevor Haefner, The George Washington University, Class of 2020

September 11, 2020

Pop icon Britney Spears has been in the limelight since her debut in 1998, but if one were to check on her social media accounts a plethora of comments stating, “#FreeBritney” would be found. The story behind this alarming hashtag began in 2008 when Ms. Spears had a rather public mental breakdown. Her name and likeness were plastered on countless tabloids, and the general public was consumed by her outbreaks. However, many do not know how her episode was handled behind the scenes. In the aftermath, she entered a conservatorship and her father, James P. Spears, took on the role of a conservator. Lawyer Laura Newberry, who spent three months overviewing Spears' guardianship in 2008, was informed by law experts that entering a conservatorship was an abnormal move, given that she was a young and productive member of society [1]. Still, the court approved of this decision. For twelve years, Britney Spears has been in the care of her father. Conservatorships for younger individuals are meant to be temporary unless their disabilities or other ailments would prevent them from being able to make decisions for themselves. After more than a decade of being in a guardianship, Britney Spears has filed to change her conservatorship. While it may seem that she should have no problem altering this legal arrangement, the laws are more complicated than one would assume.

The Handbook For Conservators written by Judicial Council of California, explains that a conservator is, "…an individual or organization chosen to protect and manage the personal care or finances – or both – of a person who has been found by a judge or jury to be unable to manage his or her own affairs," [2]. The person being cared for is called the conservatee. One can be a conservator of a person or an estate or both. In this particular case, it is named a probate conservatorship because it is based on laws found in the California Probate Code. Mr. Spears is in charge of her health and finances [3]. A few of the responsibilities of a conservator of a person include health care, meals, clothing, housekeeping, and transportation. For a conservator of an estate, one would manage finances, take control over the person's assets, collect the conservatee's income, pay bills, and make investments [4]. One wonders why a person would enter into a guardianship that results in a significant loss of liberties. A wide range of people benefit from this arrangement, such as the elderly and adults with mental or physical disabilities. Conservators are usually family members who are willing to take on the responsibility of caring for their loved ones. There are also professional conservators who will work for a fee [5]. When a court assigns a conservator, the role is treated with the utmost seriousness, and conservators are not granted full rights over the individual. In some situations, the conservator needs a judge's approval before making choices. Decisions such as moving the conservatee's home, different treatments, selling estates, and major medical choices all require a judge's approval. Lawyers work closely with conservators to ensure that the actions they take are appropriate and lawful. It is also key to be aware of the rights that the conservatee retains under these conditions. Some of the rights kept are receiving and controlling one's salary, marry (unless otherwise specified by a judge), be represented by a lawyer, and ask a judge to change the conservators or end it. A conservatorship ends when the person in care dies or if a judge decides it is no longer needed because the individual can care for him or herself [6].

With this knowledge, Ms. Spears' guardianship sounds justified as she was unable to care for herself and children when the court decided this in 2008. This begs the question, why have so many fans demanded for Britney Spears to be freed from this legal arrangement. On top of this, the American Civil Liberties Union has publicly come out and said it would provide assistance if need be. The ACLU's statement read, "People with disabilities have a right to lead self-directed lives and retain their civil rights," [7]. Interestingly, while the public has been outspoken about her conservatorship, she has remained mostly silent on the matter. However, silence to the public does not mean that she has not been working privately to settle this matter. Britney Spears has put in a request to alter the status of her conservatorship, which will be decided next February. Judge Brenda Penny of the Los Angeles County Superior Court in California chose to continue current version of her conservatorship would last until February, and has also allowed for Ms. Spears to file a petition for a court hearing on October 14 [8]. Court documents show that Ms. Spears' lawyer, Samuel D. Ingham III, expressed that she is "strongly opposed" to her father resuming his role as her conservator. Another important factor in this case is Jamie Lynn Spears, her sister, has been a trustee of Britney Spears estate since 2018. She is a viable option to replace her father as the new conservator. When referring to Ms. Spears' estate, records show that her net worth is around $59 million [9]. It is likely because of her status as a wealthy celebrity that she has been the subject of conspiracy theories created by fans that suggest she is being abused.

Although those close to Spears have come out and said that the conservatorship is helping her and that she is involved in business decisions, is it not far-fetched to question the emotional toll a conservatorship has on a family. Carolyn Reinach Wolf, the only attorney in the country with a family-focused mental healthcare practice, explains that the role of a conservator is a, "difficult and often thankless job," and at times requires restricting one's spending and activities like driving and traveling [10]. Wolf discourages family members from serving as conservators because of the possible damage it can cause to relationships. Instead, she recommends finding an independent conservator, if one has the financial means, that would be a good match based on the individual's needs [11]. Britney would likely be able to find an independent conservator, which makes her father's continued request to remain her guardian peculiar.

The legal arguments Ms. Spears and her legal team plan to present convey that her guardianship was crucial for her wellbeing but recent updates in her life make the relationship unnecessary. When she was performing her health was more vulnerable given the exposure to outside influences, but now she has no plans to continue performing. It is because of her decision to no longer perform that she hopes to change her conservatorship. Such a drastic change in lifestyle does present a compelling argument for reforming her conservatorship, also being on stage was likely a factor in her loss of mental health. Larry Rudolph, Britney Spears' manager, a year ago stated that Spears' father wanted her to be free of the conservatorship, "He doesn't want this to continue forever," [12]. This adds another layer of complexity as her father is currently hoping to keep the guardianship. Also, Mr. Spears has stayed quiet on these legal matters, hoping to maintain some privacy, therefore it is difficult to know what changed in the past year. Conservatees have the right to ask for a change or termination of a conservatorship, which would seemingly make her case easier to win. However, if a judge does not deem the change in her life as a substantial reason to alter her guardianship it may not result in her favor. Not to mention, her father could present evidence to counter her position, which would make winning the legal battle all the more strenuous. In the end, the judge of her case is the only one with the power to change her future.

________________________________________________________________

[1] Hoffower, Hillary. “Britney Spears' conservatorship was just extended until 2021 - look inside the 12-year legal arrangement that prevents the pop star from controlling her life and $59 million fortune.” Business Insider, August 27, 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-britney-spears-conservatorship-freebritney-movement-2020-2.

[2]Handbook For Conservators (3rd ed.). (2016). San Francisco, CA, CA: Judicial Council of California.

[3] Hoffower, Hillary. “Britney Spears' conservatorship was just extended until 2021 - look inside the 12-year legal arrangement that prevents the pop star from controlling her life and $59 million fortune.” Business Insider, August 27, 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-britney-spears-conservatorship-freebritney-movement-2020-2.

[4]Handbook For Conservators (3rd ed.). (2016). San Francisco, CA, CA: Judicial Council of California.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7]Coscarelli, Joe. “Britney Spears Conservatorship to Remain As Is Until 2021.” New York Times, August 21, 2020. Retrieved September 04, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/21/arts/music/britney-spears-conservatorship.html.

[8] Ibid.

[9]Hoffower, Hillary. “Britney Spears' conservatorship was just extended until 2021 - look inside the 12-year legal arrangement that prevents the pop star from controlling her life and $59 million fortune.” Business Insider, August 27, 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-britney-spears-conservatorship-freebritney-movement-2020-2.

[10]Wolf, Carolyn R. (2020, September 01). “A Lesson from Britney Spears' Conservatorship.” Psychology Today, September 1, 2020. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-desk-the-mental-health-lawyer/202009/lesson-britney-spears-conservatorship.

[11] Ibid.

[12]Hoffower, Hillary. “Britney Spears' conservatorship was just extended until 2021 - look inside the 12-year legal arrangement that prevents the pop star from controlling her life and $59 million fortune.” Business Insider, August 27, 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-britney-spears-conservatorship-freebritney-movement-2020-2.

Photo Credit: C.Estrada

[francescaswords]

Chapter One | The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes

Prologue / Chapter Two / Chapter Three Read Chapter Four and the rest of the novel on my Patreon!

The Kingdom of Mirrors, the loudest, southernmost and most magical of the Three Kingdoms, filled the bottom third of the crescent moon with olive trees, fishing boats and about ten thousand mirrors. It was ruled by the Durante line of the House of Stars, whose family tree was dotted with the types of people whose exploits are written into ten-minute songs about burning cities and eccentric fashion sense and enormous acts of courage in the face of fire-breathing dragons. Princess Amelia, the youngest of the Durante family, knew from early childhood that she, too, would one day have to defeat a dragon.

Nobody initially expected Amelia to face the dragon in question, partly because she was a girl and partly because she had been born second in line to the throne. Her older brother, Prince Nicholas, was both dashingly handsome and perfectly capable of embarking on such a heroic quest by himself. Unfortunately for Amelia, by the time she reached her teens Prince Nicholas found himself indisposed, so although most people were too polite to mention it, the task of dragon-slaying ultimately fell to her.

Amelia was fourteen, and in happier stories she would be learning how to dance or dabble in magic. In this story, Amelia was in charge of olive oil production. She was also kingdom treasurer, head of the royal family’s public relations department, occasional fisherwoman and part-time carer to her ailing father, the king. For someone born into a centuries-old dynasty, she spent a lot of time with ancient legal documents and recently gutted fish.

Amelia’s path to notoriety began one overwarm Monday evening in early spring when she had finished a day’s work in the kingdom treasury and was heading through the Kingdom of Mirrors’ busy capital city, Lumiere, to evening lessons in the castle. Today she would be learning mathematics with her tutor—which seemed redundant when she ran the entire kingdom’s budget from a piece of parchment and an abacus—so she dragged her feet as she walked through Market Street towards the castle.

Market Street was the epicentre of Lumiere and Amelia’s favourite part of the city. Lumiere looked like a fairytale, or a dream. It was a dream, of sorts: Amelia’s great-great-times-something grandparents designed the city themselves after the previous one was ravaged by one of those wars disguised as a marriage. Wait, no, this one was a war disguised as a war.

Neither grandparent was particularly conventional when it came to architecture, so every corner of Lumiere demanded your attention. White stone buildings rose into spires with forty sides, each one mosaiced with tiny chips of glass or ceramics. Colourful tiles trimmed every window and door, forming intricate patterns that drew the eye in a hundred directions. Only a few windows in each building held clear glass: almost everywhere boasted a stained-glass frieze of pictures or spirals. Even regular stone walls were round and misshapen, like someone plucked all the cobbles from the street and piled them on top of one another until they resembled a building. On every wall in the kingdom, from the tiniest cupboard to the largest battlement, hung a looking glass. No one was sure who had started the tradition, but they all appreciated how easy it was to check if you had food stuck in your teeth. Brightly painted doors, each competing for attention in violent shades of fuchsia or lavender or buttercup, were elegantly latticed with wrought iron. Some buildings were mosaiced entirely in silver, others in turquoise or tangerine. There wasn’t a grey space in the country and according to rumour, every colour in existence had been pressed into use somewhere in the kingdom. A staple of every primary school education in the Kingdom of Mirrors was a day spent naming the colours of each public building.

On some walls Amelia passed, mosaics formed cheery squares like kitchen tiles. On others they made bright, childlike images telling the history of the Kingdom of Mirrors. There were the olive trees, there was a woman brewing a potion, there was a boat next to some fish. The mosaiced fish were consistently bigger than the little people on the boat, which always made Amelia wonder whether the artist had no sense of scale or if they wanted to emphasise how brave the fishermen were, sailing out to face enormous krakens and territorial mermaids and climate change.

As she walked, Amelia gazed across Market Street to the little boats in the harbour, bobbing about on a minuscule breeze. Something moved near the hull of a dinghy, perhaps a school of fish or a merperson. The boat’s owner dozed on deck, oblivious. Up in the hills, lights twinkled from the peaks of each mountain. Lime green parakeets hollered over tiny sparrows, shouting over hulking seagulls.

Amelia stopped at one of Market Street’s twenty food carts to buy a snack before lessons. After a small diplomatic incident in which a local butcher replaced fresh lamb with fresh cat without mentioning it to anyone first, Amelia had lost her taste for kebabs, so she chose a cheese pastry and orange juice, praying that the cheese came from a farmyard animal. ‘You don’t have to pay, Your Majesty,’ the vendor told her as she rummaged through her purse. Although Amelia was dressed exactly like her subjects in a loose cotton dress and had the same umber skin and jet-black hair, the market knew her well. She frequently hid there to avoid going to the castle.

‘Of course I do…’ Amelia searched for the vendor’s name. ‘Sarah. Of course I have to pay, Sarah, I’m not going to go around stealing from my own people!’ Especially when you’re one of the few tradespeople who pays their taxes, she added silently.

‘Well, if you’re sure… can I put some magic in it, on the house?’

‘Oh, go on then.’ Amelia yawned and fanned herself with her sunhat. ‘Something to revive my desire to go to my maths tutorial.’

Sarah smiled and reached under her little counter for a vial labelled enthusiasm: medium strength. She flicked a couple of drops into Amelia’s orange juice. ‘Bad day at the office, Your Majesty?’

Amelia gazed across the square at children her own age. Walking home from school with cloth satchels slung over their shoulders, wearing faded patterned dresses or shorts, they jostled each other along in a way that always struck Amelia as very comradely. She tried to push back a pang of jealousy. Until Amelia’s father suffered a stroke when she was twelve, Amelia attended the same local school, wearing the same faded patterned dresses. Amelia hadn’t especially enjoyed formal education when she was forced to go, but after years of squeezing in private tutoring between royal business and gradually losing touch with her friends, Amelia would have given anything to spend eight hours with other people her own age. Especially since public schools let children take a class in brewing potions, and Amelia’s parents wouldn’t let her near any magical substances since an unfortunate incident with a dog and a growth potion when Amelia was ten.

‘Oh you know…’ Amelia shrugged. ‘Eighty per cent of our teachers and healthcare professionals have gone abroad in the last five years and we can’t afford to train anyone new. There’s also a shortage of sorcerers who know how to bewitch the weather, so we’re in for a long summer.’ She scowled and chomped her pastry. ‘Oh, and the Earl of Star’s Reach spent half an hour telling me how he plans to convert an entire room in his house into a shrine to the gods of gratitude. Gratitude! He’d do better praying to the gods of lost causes.’

Shrines in the Kingdom of Mirrors were like pairs of shoes: everyone owned at least one, but to people who considered themselves fashionable, they were the ultimate status symbol. Each building housed a shrine to one god or another, each made from chips of mirrored glass or colourful tiles. Some were the size of a post box, others the size of a shed. Some people, like the Earl of Star’s Reach, dedicated an entire room in their house to their shrine, replacing all the windows with stained glass and filling the room with candles, incense and tiny prayer scrolls. The Earl fancied himself a priest and a magician, although the rest of the court fancied him a nuisance, especially when his attempts at magic resulted in a castle-wide evacuation.

‘Is he thinking of going for any particular design?’ Sarah asked. Her kiosk’s little shrine to the water gods was the size of a milk jug and made from blue glass chips. It sat on the till, which Sarah had bewitched to open only when she touched it.

‘The Earl wants a plain mirrored mosaic floor in the shape of his family crest to remind him of his respect for the gods of hearth and home,’ Amelia recalled. ‘But his wife doesn’t like to be reminded of her mother-in-law.’

‘Maybe she should pray to the gods for a new husband, then,’ Sarah suggested. ‘Or send him south to Scavenger’s Ruin. The Sapphire Dragon will take care of him.’

Amelia tried to laugh, but something stuck in her throat.

She finished her food at the communal iron tables, soaking up the atmosphere as the evening sun reflected off the mirrors on each building, casting the entire street in strange beams of light and duplicating the market one thousand times over. When she was little, Amelia thought that every mirror contained another world, where another Amelia sat, looking into another mirror.

The temperature was starting to drop, so Lumiere was coming alive. Children scampered around fountains while parents chatted at cafés. Amelia could hear restaurants getting ready for the dinner shift, lighting fires to roast lambs and goats on spits, and she could smell oregano and bougainvillea plants. A cicada chirruped somewhere, almost drowned out by a marching band performing at one end of Market Street. The band appeared to be in direct competition with an orchestra holding a performance at the other end of the street. Babies’ cries mingled with dogs’ barks as street vendors contended with everyone. ‘Salted olives, a jar for a silver coin!’ Amelia could get two jars of olives for a copper coin; there were more olive trees in the Kingdom of Mirrors than there were people. A wasp buzzed near Amelia’s pastry wrappings, close enough to count its legs. She waved it away. Another vendor hollered, ‘Feather pillowcases, plucked from swans this morning!’ Very few swans lived in the Kingdom of Mirrors. Possibly the manufacturer had skinned several pigeons.

It was well past time to go to lessons, so Amelia hauled herself from her seat and brushed her sticky hands on her dress as the loudest voice of all cut through the crowd. ‘Magical gold amulets—guaranteed to keep your marriage healthy! Just five gold pieces for two!’

Amelia stopped at the stall, waving another wasp away from her face. Anything for another two minutes of fresh air. ‘What do those amulets do?’

‘They spice up your marriage, Your Majesty.’ The vendor, a sun-wrinkled old man called Harry, bowed when he recognised her.

‘My marriage?’

‘Or your parents’ marriage!’ Harry seemed to remember who he was talking to. ‘Not that the King and Queen need any help in their marriage! I am sure they’re blissfully happy!’

‘Yes, blissful,’ Amelia agreed. She rubbed her temples. The enthusiasm was taking its time kicking in. ‘Couldn’t the marching band and the orchestra perform at different times?’

‘Course they could,’ Harry grunted. ‘But that would be too easy. The orchestra is starring in a musical.’

‘Remind me never to see it,’ Amelia muttered.

‘You might want to, Your Majesty, it’s about the war with the Sapphire Dragon.’

‘Why on earth would I want to watch a musical about the war?’ Amelia demanded. Why couldn’t people stop bringing it up? First Sarah with her joke, now Harry. For ten whole minutes as she strolled through Market Street, Amelia had forgotten all about the war her people waged against their unfriendly neighbourhood dragon.

Harry shrugged. ‘Search me, Your Majesty, I’ve never been much of a theatre person. Can I interest you in a shell for calming headaches?’

‘No, no, I’ll take a tonic later on.’ Amelia knew that Harry’s ‘magic shells’ came from Lumiere’s beach. Although blood red and very pleasant as a table decoration, they held absolutely no magical properties. Amelia didn’t have the heart to tell him she knew the scam: not everyone in the kingdom was a magic user. Amelia never quite got over the fact that her mother, Queen Hazel, excelled at casting protection spells, while Amelia, Nicholas and their father, King Emmanuel, possessed about as much magical ability as a pair of socks.

She left Harry there as he called into the market once more. ‘Magical shells! Endorsed by the Princess Amelia!’

Miraculously, Amelia arrived earlier than her tutor. Madame Louisa taught every subject on a different day in their little room at the very top of the castle tower. Ten floors up, Amelia could still hear the orchestra and the marching band battling it out. While she waited, she flicked through the pile of newspapers they had used for her current affairs lesson the previous week. There was the war, again, on almost every page.

 ‘The Sapphire Dragon razes another town!’ screamed one headline. ‘Is he heading north from his cave at Scavenger’s Ruin?’

 ‘King Richard of the Valley of Dreams sends more troops to the Kingdom of Mirrors’ aid,’ announced another paper. ‘Meanwhile, King Emmanuel has borrowed money from Queen Margaret of Stormhaven to pay for another siege at Scavenger’s Ruin, to force the Sapphire Dragon from his stronghold.’

 ‘King Richard’s troops are killed in a failed siege of the Sapphire Dragon’s lair,’ bemoaned the most recent. ‘The latest failed attempt to oust the Sapphire Dragon, who has laid waste to the south coast of the Kingdom of Mirrors for 20 years, brought the military death toll up to 32,892 troops, and the civilian death toll to—’ Amelia stopped reading. She knew the numbers already.

What really depressed her was that these newspapers could have been from any year in the past two decades, ever since the Sapphire Dragon blew in from the Western Ocean on a terrible storm. Villagers spotted him curled on the beach at Scavenger’s Ruin, a fishing town at the southernmost tip of the kingdom. According to survivors, his wicked blue scales reflected the sun and his wicked grey claws left welts in the sand. Fire spat from his nostrils as he torched every building in sight, along with most villagers. War was declared immediately, of course. There’s a saying in the Three Kingdoms: sticks and stones might break your bones but they don’t do squat to dragons, so you’d better bring something stronger.

Everyone was hopeful for the first few years. Hundreds of well-trained soldiers marched south each spring, although barely fifty would make it back, and most of those spent months in the Lumiere hospital being treated for horrendous burns. The Valley of Dreams, the Kingdom of Mirrors’ closest neighbour, sent troops and extra weapons. Dragons are creatures of habit and prefer to live in secluded, enclosed spaces, so the Sapphire Dragon existed mostly in the hard-to-reach caves below Scavenger’s Ruin, venturing out occasionally to hunt fish from the once-plentiful sea or to meet the latest contingent of soldiers. Once or twice a year he would fly north, razing more towns and extending his territory just a little bit closer to Lumiere. Within some six years of the dragon’s arrival, half the nation was inhospitable and hundreds of terrified families had fled to Lumiere. Others went further north still, to the Valley of Dreams.

Lumiere soon started to creak under the extra pressure from its new inhabitants. Tensions built up in crowded communities as the war dragged on. After a few more years of state funerals for fallen soldiers and emergency aid relief for refugees, someone cracked and threw a brick into the tent of a refugee family, starting the famous Midsummer Riots. Amelia remembered watching the carnage from her bedroom window as a terrified six-year-old, counting the fires that spread across the city. ‘Dad will sort it out,’ twelve-year-old Nicholas assured her. ‘He has an army.’

‘He doesn’t,’ Amelia argued. ‘They’ve all been eaten by the dragon.’

‘The Sapphire Dragon doesn’t eat people,’ Nicholas assured her. ‘He just sets them on fire.’

Amelia refused to go near a lit candle for weeks after he said that. Emmanuel and Hazel finally bowed to political pressure and began to borrow money from Queen Margaret of Stormhaven to train even more soldiers. They signed an agreement with the Valley of Dreams, allowing thousands of refugees to relocate to safer lands in exchange for access to the Kingdom of Mirrors’ ancient magical scrolls, something no monarch had allowed for centuries. Eight years later, the kingdom’s debts were crippling its economy and all those extra soldiers proved about as effective as a comedian at a funeral.

‘Your Majesty!’ Amelia jolted out of her reverie as Madame Louisa swept into the room. ‘Apologies for my tardiness. Let’s get started with some mathematics!’

Madame Louisa didn’t set particularly difficult exercises today —but then, Amelia recently balanced Louisa’s family’s bank account. Amelia scratched away at algebraic fractions, trying not to think about dragons. She glanced out the tower window. All the way up here she could see the entire city, nestled amongst the mountains and olive groves, temple spires sparkling. People would soon be making their way to evening prayers, if not just stopping for ten minutes to light a candle in the nearest shrine. If she had magical vision, which wasn’t unheard of in the Three Kingdoms, she could see around the coast all the way down to Scavenger’s Ruin. From this distance the road looked like it was scratched into the mountain by a dragon’s claw. Her fist clenched around her pencil. Would she ever go anywhere without being reminded that her kingdom was on its knees?

The pencil snapped. Across the room, Madame Louisa raised her eyebrows and handed Amelia another.

Copyright © 2019 by Francesca Burke

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

[takebackthedream]

An Economy in the Fast Lane – With No Brakes by Richard Eskow

Donald Trump has been bragging about the economy a lot lately. He says the United States is now the “economic envy” of the world. Unfortunately, Trump is once again trying to reshape reality to fit his own delusions. Reality is refusing to cooperate.

It’s true the U.S. economy is in the fast lane, by some measures, just as it was in the final years of Barack Obama’s presidency.  But where, exactly, is it headed?

And what will happen when the next blowout comes, as it inevitably will?

We know one thing: average Americans, who have seen their incomes stagnate while inequality rises, and their wealth declines, will bear the brunt of the next recession.

Less Than Amazing

First, it should be noted that what Trump calls an “amazing” economy isn’t amazing for everyone. As Bernie Sanders correctly notes, 40 percent of Americans don’t have $400 on hand for an emergency – a brake job, for example, costs $567 on average for both axles – and 43 percent of Americans (50 million households) can’t afford to meet their basic monthly expenses.

A full two-thirds of Americans would have trouble coming up with $1,000 for an emergency.

More than 44 million Americans are struggling with more than $1.5 trillion in student debt. Others struggle to pay credit card debt, mortgages, and usurious payday loans.

Nor is the world likely to “envy” the tens of millions of Americans living in poverty, including the estimated 5.3 million Americans living in deep poverty like that of the poorest Third World countries.

And, while our top-line numbers on jobs look very good, the same can’t be said of our labor force participation, which tracks the people left out of standard calculations.

That figure lags behind those of other developed nations, even among working-age Americans. If our figure matched Great Britain’s, for example, more than 11 million additional Americans would be working or job-hunting today.

Citizens in other advanced economies aren’t likely to envy our healthcare “system,” either. It’s a partially-privatized madhouse that leaves tens of millions uninsured, many millions more under-insured, and most of us subject to thousands of dollars of medical expenditure – often without warning.

The Coming Blowout

From 1947 through the 2008 financial crisis, there was a recession every 6 to 7 years in the United States. If that cyclical pattern still holds, we are overdue for the next one. Its timing is a subject of constant debate. Economists and investors are tracking the usual indicators, which include Treasury bond yields and the housing market.  Financial expert Nomi Prins writes that we are at “the edge of a dangerous financial precipice.”

So far, the signs are mixed. But time is not on the economy’s side – especially with the mercurial Mr. Trump in the Oval Office. Without an overall industrial policy or trade plan, Trump’s trade antics inject uncertainty and instability into the economy.

The work of re-regulating Wall Street to prevent the kinds of speculative practices by banks that created the 2008 financial crisis, which the Dodd-Frank bill only began to do, has also come to a stop under Trump.

Instead of building upon Dodd-Frank, the administration and Congress (including corporate Democrats, as well as the GOP) are unwinding it.

Meanwhile, the country’s too-big-to-fail banks are even bigger than they were in 2008. That means they pose an even bigger threat to the economy. Their executives escaped punishment for the crimes that created the last recession, which means there are fewer deterrents to future (or current) lawbreaking.

Whose Fed Is It, Anyway?

One thing is certain: sooner or later, there will be another recession. Then what happens?

The Federal Reserve is seen as the first line of defense in a recession. But the Fed still holds more than $4 trillion in assets, a holdover from its efforts to keep Wall Street afloat after the 2008 financial crisis. That limits its ability to respond to an especially severe recession.

Donald Trump has had an outsized impact on the Fed’s appointments leadership, and seems to want more direct influence over its actions – which means the central bank will be even less inclined to direct its responses toward the people who will be hurt the most.

Trump’s recent attack on the Federal Reserve lacked coherence, but the media backlash to his comments went too far: governance of the Fed should not be above political criticism, since it is a creature of government. The Fed has done far too much to serve bankers, leaving it vulnerable if another severe recession hits, while doing far too little to help the people whose collective will brought it into being.

It’s time to fundamentally restructure the Fed along more democratic lines, with reforms that reduce the influence of bankers and strengthen that of the American people. (More on how that might work here.)

Preventive Politics

Another line of defense is stimulus spending. The government should be investing more in our economy today, creating jobs and economic growth by rebuilding our rumbling infrastructure and delivering other needed services.

When the next recession hits, that spending will be needed even more.  Mainstream economic research shows that government spending is especially important and productive during tough financial times.

Unfortunately, the Republicans who run the government will almost certainly team with like-minded Democrats to prevent that from happening. That’s yet another reason to elect more true progressives to the House and Senate in November.

The economics of the moment call for a political response – with policies that eliminate poverty, strengthen the middle class, and end the banking sector’s stranglehold on the economy. And the time to act is now, before the next recession hits.

When the next recession hits, the working people of the United States will pay the steepest price. Their voices should be heard today, before the government tries to slam on the brakes – and nothing happens.

[trumpnewsus-blog]

Does Trump Tax Reform Plan Abandons his Working Class Supporters?

New Post has been published on http://trumpnews.center/trump-tax-reform-plan-abandons-working-class-supporters/

Does Trump Tax Reform Plan Abandons his Working Class Supporters?

Tax reform for the rich: Trump’s plan abandons his working class supporters

President Donald Trump heralded his new tax plan as relief for the middle class, revenue-neutral and a “middle-class miracle.”

Yet the proposal, announced on Sept. 27, does none of these things. Instead, it is a scam not fit to become law of the land because it will enrich the rich, explode the deficit and hurt many middle-class Americans. This may sound like strong language, particularly for an economist, but I’m going to show you why this is no exaggeration.

While some details remain up in the air, Trump has proposed three main changes to our tax code. He wants to repeal the estate tax, simplify the individual tax code and slash the rates corporations pay. Let’s consider each in turn.

Killing the ‘death tax’

The estate tax currently exempts the first US$5.5 million of wealth for individuals and $11 million for married couples. It is paid by only the wealthiest 0.2 percent of Americans, or fewer than 15,000 people in 2016.

While some dub it the “death tax” resulting in “double taxation,” about 55 percent of the wealth subject to it has never before been taxed. It is assets, like stocks and homes, that have appreciated in value but not sold.

While Trump falsely claimed its repeal will “protect millions of small businesses and the American farmer,” the reality is that these small firms do not have to pay the estate tax. Eliminating it would allow a small fraction of very wealthy Americans to accumulate even more wealth, widening the chasm between rich and poor.

Photo by marcoverch

‘Relief’ for the middle class

A second key element of the plan overhauls how individuals pay taxes by shrinking the number of tax brackets, doubling the standard deduction and eliminating personal exemptions. This is the part that is supposed to provide tax relief for the middle class.

Currently, the first $10,400 a single person earns goes tax-free (the standard deduction plus a personal exemption). For a married couple, it’s $20,800, plus $4,050 for each child.

By increasing the standard deduction and eliminating exemptions, Trump’s proposal would increase the earnings that escape taxation to $12,000 for single people and $24,000 for couples (with or without kids). After that the new tax brackets would kick in, starting at 12 percent (up from the current 10 percent).

But what Trump giveth with one hand, he taketh away with the other. That’s because any gains the middle class reaps from a higher standard deduction will be minuscule at best because of the loss of personal exemptions and the elimination of certain itemized deductions like state and local taxes and medical expenses. Many middle-class households will end up being worse off under this new tax regime.

With some details, like the mortgage deduction and charitable contributions, still unknown, we can’t be certain of all the winners and losers – except one: The rich will be much better off because the top tax rate will be cut from 39.6 percent to 35 percent.

Corporate cuts

The proposal’s third key component is a big tax cut for corporations to 20 percent from 35 percent. While Trump claims it primarily will benefit workers and create jobs, I see it as another bonanza for the wealthy.

Publicly traded companies don’t really pay income taxes. Their shareholders, consumers and workers do. And shareholders foot more than three-quarters of the bill. That means if taxes are reduced, companies will make more money and pass most of that along to shareholders, who will benefit from bigger dividends and higher share prices.

This will primarily enrich the richest 1 percent because they own half of all corporate stock. Senior executives – also among the 1 percent – will be big winners as well because their pay and bonuses are usually tied to the value of their company’s stock.

Trump has tried to sell this tax cut by claiming U.S. corporate rates are the highest in the world, making the U.S. less competitive. While it is true that the statutory rates on corporate profits are greater in the U.S. than in other G-20 nations, effective rates in the U.S. are not the highest and not that different from these other developed countries .

Paying for it

Photo by Arran Bee

Estimates of the cost of the Trump tax cuts vary, but one reliable estimate puts it at $2.7 trillion over 10 years, or $270 billion a year.

Trump administration officials claim the tax cuts will pay for themselves by generating economic growth. Neither history nor math bears this out.

Historically, large tax cuts have failed to produce the needed and promised growth. This is true of individual states like Kansas, which rescinded several tax cuts after they failed to stimulate economic growth and created big deficits. It is also true of President Reagan’s 1981 tax cut, which, as one of its key architects noted, failed to spur faster economic growth than the U.S. experienced during the 1970s.

Furthermore, even if Trump’s tax cuts did manage to achieve the 3 percent growth his treasury secretary is currently touting, this would not nearly be enough to offset the cost of the tax cuts. By my calculations, growth would have to be double that to result in enough additional revenue to offset the Trump tax cuts.

Given that economic growth at its best sustained level over the past 75 years averaged only 4 percent (from the 1950s to the 1970s), getting to 6 percent (from the current 2 percent) is unlikely.

That leaves spending cuts and borrowing to pay for a large tax giveaway to the wealthy – both of which would come at the expense of the middle class, a group Trump promised to protect.

If Trump were to choose to cut spending to pay for some or all of it, he would inevitably have to take the money from programs like subsidized student loans and children’s health insurance programs that benefit middle-class Americans. And if he were to borrow the money, the increased debt levels would likely drive up borrowing costs on everything from car loans to mortgages, which would also hurt the middle class.

Just as a few brave Republicans prevented the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, will some say no to this reverse Robin Hood tax reform?

Steven Pressman, Professor of Economics, Colorado State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Trump proposal slashes taxes on businesses, the rich amid deficit worries

http://ryanguillory.com/trump-proposal-slashes-taxes-on-businesses-the-rich-amid-deficit-worries/

Trump proposal slashes taxes on businesses, the rich amid deficit worries

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed the biggest U.S. tax overhaul in three decades, offering to cut taxes for most Americans but prompting criticism that the plan favors the rich and companies and could add trillions of dollars to the deficit.

The proposal, which the Republican president said was aimed at helping working people and creating jobs, faces an uphill battle in Congress with Trump’s own party divided and Democrats hostile.

Republicans plan to lower corporate income tax rates, cut taxes for small businesses, reduce the top income tax rate for individuals and scrap some widely used tax breaks including one that benefits people in high-tax states dominated by Democrats.

“It’s going to be something special,” Trump told reporters at the White House, touting it as “the largest tax cut essentially in the history of our country.”

The plan, forged during months of talks among Trump’s aides and top Republicans in Congress and embraced by big business, contained scant details about how to pay for the cuts without fueling deficits.

Trump, a real estate mogul-turned-politician, said when asked by reporters that he personally would not stand to gain financially from the proposal.

“I think there’s very little benefit for people of wealth,” said Trump, who has refused to make public his own tax returns unlike many of his White House predecessors.

Republicans have produced no major legislative successes since Trump took office in January even though they control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

The tax plan was outlined the day after the Republicans’ top legislative priority, an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, collapsed in the Senate, while another key item on Trump’s wish list, infrastructure spending, has yet to materialize.

A comprehensive rewrite of the U.S. tax code has eluded lawmakers for decades. The last one was passed in 1986.

The White House said that under the proposal typical middle-class families would have less of their income subject to federal income tax.

The plan would lower the top individual rate from to 35 percent from 39.6 percent, but also roughly double the standard deduction, a set amount of income exempt from taxation, for all taxpayers.

The plan foresees a 20 percent corporate income tax rate, down from the current 35 percent but not as low as Trump’s initial demand for 15 percent.

Trump on Wednesday said that his 15 percent proposal was a bargaining position so he could get a 20 percent rate. “I‘m not negotiating that number,” Trump said. “Twenty (percent) is a perfect number.”

Companies in the United States pay high taxes by global standards but many of them pay much less than the headline rate due to loopholes and tax breaks.

The proposal now faces a long legislative process that could take months. Trump has appealed to Democrats to support the plan, although they were not consulted in drafting it.

U.S. President Donald Trump walks to Marine One as he departs for New York from the White House in Washington, U.S., September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

“Under this plan, the wealthiest Americans and wealthiest corporations make out like bandits while middle-class Americans are left holding the bag,” said Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat.

Republicans hold a thin 52-48 majority in the Senate and may need some Democrats on board to win passage. But Democrats said the plan would expand the federal deficit in order to deliver tax cuts to wealthy Americans rather than the middle-class families that Trump and Republicans say they are trying to help.

“If this framework is all about the middle class, then Trump Tower is middle-class housing,” said Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee.

The proposal was a broad outline that will need to be turned into detailed legislation. Orrin Hatch, the Republican Senate Finance Committee chairman, said it will be nearly impossible to pass without some Democratic votes.

Kevin Brady, chairman of the tax-writing House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, said his plan was to turn the framework into legislation to be passed by the end of this year.

‘NOW OR NEVER’

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, said there is an urgent need for Congress to approve the plan, adding, “This is a now-or-never moment.”

Analysts have warned that huge tax cuts would balloon the federal deficit and debt if the economic growth projected by Republicans fails to materialize amid rising interest rates.

The White House and congressional Republicans did not give an estimate on the plan’s cost. The nonprofit Tax Foundation policy group previously estimated it would reduce federal revenue by up to $5.9 trillion in the next decade.

Republicans argue that the tax cuts would be offset by new revenues raised from eliminating tax loopholes and would drive more robust U.S. economic growth, predictions that critics question.

The proposal was embraced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce business lobbying group and an organization called the RATE Coalition representing large American companies including AT&T Inc (T.N), FedEx Corp (FDX.N), Home Depot Inc (HD.N), General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) and Walmart Stores Inc (WMT.N).

The coalition, which said it represents firms employing over 30 million workers in all 50 states, said America’s corporate tax rate is the highest in the industrialized world and “out of step with global reality.”

The tax framework would establish a 25-percent rate for business income from businesses called “pass-throughs.” These usually small, private enterprises represent an estimated that 95 percent of all U.S. businesses.

Under current tax law, business profits are “passed through” to owners as personal income, which is often taxed at the top 39.6 percent individual income tax rate.

Republicans proposed eliminating some existing tax deductions, though they retain deductions for mortgage interest payments and charitable deductions. They proposed scrapping the deduction for the amount a taxpayer pays in state and local taxes, which could hurt people in high-tax states including California and New York that tend to vote Democratic.

The proposal aims to consolidate the current seven tax brackets into three brackets of 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent.

Reporting by David Morgan and Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Doinca Chiacu and Amanda Becker; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Alistair Bell

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Source link

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Trump proposal slashes taxes on businesses, the rich amid deficit worries

http://ryanguillory.com/trump-proposal-slashes-taxes-on-businesses-the-rich-amid-deficit-worries/

Trump proposal slashes taxes on businesses, the rich amid deficit worries

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed the biggest U.S. tax overhaul in three decades, offering to cut taxes for most Americans but prompting criticism that the plan favors the rich and companies and could add trillions of dollars to the deficit.

The proposal, which the Republican president said was aimed at helping working people and creating jobs, faces an uphill battle in Congress with Trump’s own party divided and Democrats hostile.

Republicans plan to lower corporate income tax rates, cut taxes for small businesses, reduce the top income tax rate for individuals and scrap some widely used tax breaks including one that benefits people in high-tax states dominated by Democrats.

“It’s going to be something special,” Trump told reporters at the White House, touting it as “the largest tax cut essentially in the history of our country.”

The plan, forged during months of talks among Trump’s aides and top Republicans in Congress and embraced by big business, contained scant details about how to pay for the cuts without fueling deficits.

Trump, a real estate mogul-turned-politician, said when asked by reporters that he personally would not stand to gain financially from the proposal.

“I think there’s very little benefit for people of wealth,” said Trump, who has refused to make public his own tax returns unlike many of his White House predecessors.

Republicans have produced no major legislative successes since Trump took office in January even though they control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

The tax plan was outlined the day after the Republicans’ top legislative priority, an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, collapsed in the Senate, while another key item on Trump’s wish list, infrastructure spending, has yet to materialize.

A comprehensive rewrite of the U.S. tax code has eluded lawmakers for decades. The last one was passed in 1986.

The White House said that under the proposal typical middle-class families would have less of their income subject to federal income tax.

The plan would lower the top individual rate from to 35 percent from 39.6 percent, but also roughly double the standard deduction, a set amount of income exempt from taxation, for all taxpayers.

The plan foresees a 20 percent corporate income tax rate, down from the current 35 percent but not as low as Trump’s initial demand for 15 percent.

Trump on Wednesday said that his 15 percent proposal was a bargaining position so he could get a 20 percent rate. “I‘m not negotiating that number,” Trump said. “Twenty (percent) is a perfect number.”

Companies in the United States pay high taxes by global standards but many of them pay much less than the headline rate due to loopholes and tax breaks.

The proposal now faces a long legislative process that could take months. Trump has appealed to Democrats to support the plan, although they were not consulted in drafting it.

U.S. President Donald Trump walks to Marine One as he departs for New York from the White House in Washington, U.S., September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

“Under this plan, the wealthiest Americans and wealthiest corporations make out like bandits while middle-class Americans are left holding the bag,” said Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat.

Republicans hold a thin 52-48 majority in the Senate and may need some Democrats on board to win passage. But Democrats said the plan would expand the federal deficit in order to deliver tax cuts to wealthy Americans rather than the middle-class families that Trump and Republicans say they are trying to help.

“If this framework is all about the middle class, then Trump Tower is middle-class housing,” said Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee.

The proposal was a broad outline that will need to be turned into detailed legislation. Orrin Hatch, the Republican Senate Finance Committee chairman, said it will be nearly impossible to pass without some Democratic votes.

Kevin Brady, chairman of the tax-writing House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, said his plan was to turn the framework into legislation to be passed by the end of this year.

‘NOW OR NEVER’

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, said there is an urgent need for Congress to approve the plan, adding, “This is a now-or-never moment.”

Analysts have warned that huge tax cuts would balloon the federal deficit and debt if the economic growth projected by Republicans fails to materialize amid rising interest rates.

The White House and congressional Republicans did not give an estimate on the plan’s cost. The nonprofit Tax Foundation policy group previously estimated it would reduce federal revenue by up to $5.9 trillion in the next decade.

Republicans argue that the tax cuts would be offset by new revenues raised from eliminating tax loopholes and would drive more robust U.S. economic growth, predictions that critics question.

The proposal was embraced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce business lobbying group and an organization called the RATE Coalition representing large American companies including AT&T Inc (T.N), FedEx Corp (FDX.N), Home Depot Inc (HD.N), General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) and Walmart Stores Inc (WMT.N).

The coalition, which said it represents firms employing over 30 million workers in all 50 states, said America’s corporate tax rate is the highest in the industrialized world and “out of step with global reality.”

The tax framework would establish a 25-percent rate for business income from businesses called “pass-throughs.” These usually small, private enterprises represent an estimated that 95 percent of all U.S. businesses.

Under current tax law, business profits are “passed through” to owners as personal income, which is often taxed at the top 39.6 percent individual income tax rate.

Republicans proposed eliminating some existing tax deductions, though they retain deductions for mortgage interest payments and charitable deductions. They proposed scrapping the deduction for the amount a taxpayer pays in state and local taxes, which could hurt people in high-tax states including California and New York that tend to vote Democratic.

The proposal aims to consolidate the current seven tax brackets into three brackets of 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent.

Reporting by David Morgan and Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Doinca Chiacu and Amanda Becker; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Alistair Bell

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Source link

[darbiblog-blog]

Ten Hints for Comparing Health Care Guidelines And Regulations

New Post has been published on https://darbi.org/ten-hints-for-comparing-health-care-guidelines-and-regulations/

Ten Hints for Comparing Health Care Guidelines And Regulations

Australians already realize that Fitness insurance can offer protection for people and families when a medical need arises. Many, however, do not realize the way to discover the pleasant price whilst Comparing health care insurance Guidelines.

Beneath are 10 Suggestions all and sundry need to study before searching for non-public Health coverage.

1. Choose insurance that concentrates for your particular Fitness wishes or ability Fitness wishes.

The primary thing you have to do before Evaluating your Health plan options determines which coverage functions high-quality fit you. A 30-12 months-antique accountant, for instance, goes to want very one-of-a-kind insurance than a 55year-old pro golfer, or a seventy five-yr-antique retired veterinarian. By using understanding the Fitness needs that most customarily correspond to people in your age and interest level institution – your lifestyles level – you could keep cash By using buying simplest the insurance you want and keep away from unnecessary offerings that are not applicable. as an instance, a younger circle of relatives with small children is not going to want coverage for joint replacement or cataract surgical operation. A 60-yr-vintage college instructor is not going to need being pregnant and beginning control-associated services.

Whether or not it is excessive degree complete care you’re after, or the least luxurious choice to exempt you from the medical Levy Surcharge while offering fundamental care insurance, constantly ensure you’re Evaluating medical health insurance Policies with best those services that make an experience for you and your family.

2. Recall options together with Extra or Co-price to reduce your top rate charges.

Whilst you comply with pay for a specified out-of-pocket amount in the event you are hospitalized, you signal an Excess or Co-charge option in order to reduce your medical health insurance top class.

If you Select the Access alternative, you agree to pay a predetermined, precise amount When you visit the medical institution, no matter how long your live lasts. With a Coffee option, you settle for paying an each day some as much as a pre-agreed amount. As an example, if Joanne has an Extra of $250 on her clinical insurance policy and is admitted to the health facility, regardless of how long her life turns out to be, she can pay $250 of the final invoice. If Andrew has signed a $75×4 Coffee along with his company, he can pay $75 per day for just The first The first 4 days of his hospitalization.

For younger individuals who are wholesome and suit and not using a reason to expect to land in clinic anytime soon, either of those options is splendid methods to lessen the month-to-month price of your medical insurance rates. Understand that extraordinary non-public insurers have their personal rules on the subject of Access and Co-payments, such as how many payments you’ll want to make yearly on both options. It is essential to examine the policy thoroughly and ask questions in advance in an effort to have a clear know-how of what you are paying for, and what you may count on coverage-smart in the occasion that you are hospitalized. Also, make sure you Choose an Access alternative greater than $500 If you’re shopping an man or woman policy, or $1,000 for the circle of relatives insurance, with a purpose to be exempted from the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

three. Pay your health insurance top class earlier before the value will increase.

Every year insurance vendors increase their charges Through about 5 percentage someday around the first of April, a practice accredited By means of the Minister of Health. By instituting these annual increases, your health insurance company retains the ability to satisfy their duties to policyholders despite growing scientific expenses.

Maximum private clinical policy companies allow coverage holders to pay for twelve months’ premium earlier, which locks them into the previous year’s price for an extra one year – an awesome way to keep cash. so one can take gain of the savings presented, Most insurers require a charge in complete be made in the first region of the 12 months, between January and March.

four. Lock into low fee health insurance at an early age.

The Maximum obvious gain any Australian can take with regards to saving money on your coverage charges is to buy in early to the least high-priced charge available. And By means of early, we suggest earlier than age 31. anyone who’s eligible for Medicare will get hold of at the least a 30 percent rebate from the government on the charge of their Fitness care top rate, no matter what age you are. however, Through shopping hospital insurance before the July first following your thirty-first birthday, you could be ensured the lowest premium price to be had.

After age 31, your health insurance price is subjected to a percentage penalty fee increase for each yr after age 30 which you did no longer have medical health insurance. Therefore, If you wait to buy private Health insurance until you are age 35, you may pay 10 percentage greater annually than you’ll have If you had bought it at age 30.

There are exemptions for a few people who were distant places once they grew to become 30, or for brand new immigrants, and positive others beneath special exception repute. but, if you acquire personal coverage after age 30 and are paying an age loading penalty in your Fitness coverage, you will be relieved of the Extra penalty after 10 years of persistent coverage.

The earlier in lifestyles that you lock into a non-public Fitness plan, the more money you may store each right away and over your lifetime.

5. Pick out a Healthcare provider who already works along with your Fitness fund.

decide which sanatorium you decide on if and whilst the need for treatment does arise, and are searching for out the one’s health insurance companies which have an agreement along with your medical institution of preference before you make a decision on your medical health insurance purchase.

it is a good idea to Additionally discover in case your insurer has a listing of “preferred providers,” which would encompass the one’s physicians and practitioners who Also have made preparations with the Health budget concerning their fees for services. Request this information from every issue while Evaluating medical insurance Guidelines. This way you can make certain you may receive the full gamut of blessings to be had at the bottom possible fee. those desired vendors often have “no hole” cowl – special rates that reduce or get rid of out-of-pocket fees to policyholders.

6. Double test your medical insurance coverage earlier than you time table any treatment or processes to ensure you have insurance.

Any time you’re headed to a personal medical institution for remedy, first check to see if the hospital and your medical insurance issuer have an agreement to be virtually positive you have got good enough coverage. On the same time, test along with your coverage company, the medical doctor and the clinic to peer if there may be a gap between their costs and the government’s Medicare blessings. This is extraordinarily critical due to the fact if your doctor costs greater than Medicare covers and also you do no longer have a “no gap” plan set up, you may locate yourself answerable for a substantial invoice. Simply contact your medical doctor and your insurance employer to double test on those gadgets, and keep away from being saddled with an out-of-pocket rate your weren’t watching for.

7. Record your price claims right away.

If you have a medical health insurance club card, you can Document a claim towards your benefits At the time of treatment and not use an extra paperwork or file to fear about, at the least in Maximum instances. On occasion, you could nonetheless want to Document a claim along with your insurance company. when that takes place, make certain to File you are declare directly. The typical cut-off for insurers to pay Fitness care claims is two years. you could Record your health insurance claim immediately along with your provider or at your region Medicare workplace, which has a reciprocal agreement in the vicinity with Most coverage providers.

8. Every time you travel overseas, drop your Fitness coverage.

Every time you journey remote places for various weeks, however, less than 24 months, sure health insurance companies permit policyholders to drop their memberships for the time they are out of the country, liberating the policyholders from paying premiums at some stage in that term. at the same time as your insurance policy is suspended, your Lifetime Fitness cowl reputation stays intact, so that you do not have to fear about age loading delivered When you go back home. touch your health insurance provider to make sure in their coverage and rules regarding ready intervals and re-activation.

Don’t forget too that Australia has reciprocal preparations in positive countries, which include New Zealand, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. For more records, visit

9. Evaluation your coverage benefits annually.

Life trade, people get married, have kids, age – youngsters grow up and circulate out on their personal, couples separate. Lots can occur within the span of 365 days, which is why the private medical health insurance Ombudsman recommends that everyone Evaluation their policy blessings as soon as each year to make sure your insurance nevertheless suits your needs.

no matter your existence changes, your Lifetime Fitness cowl popularity remains protected, and waiting periods for advantages that identical your modern-day insurance are waived in compliance with the non-public health insurance Act of 2007. This indicates you’ll be capable of Record claims associated with features you had earlier than you made any changes without interruption in benefits.

10. Evaluate Guidelines to get the exceptional charge and the insurance you need.

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To make certain that you are getting the fine feasible charge to your medical insurance top class, you ought to Examine Guidelines from special insurers, ensure you are Comparing Guidelines that replicate the treatment plan and insurance you want, without filler offerings that you won’t want. The greater you realize about private Fitness coverage and authorities backed Medicare, the more likely you will discover the first-rate value to your money when it comes time to purchasing or renewing your Fitness insurance.

[medicalquack]

“One Trick Algo World” Needs to be Licensed and Indexed–Spurious Correlations “For Profit” Are Out of Control

With prediction tools and apps being all the rage today, their reliability and accuracy are not always there.  Before the word “prediction” took over, we used to have words like “trending” and number crunches used for a lot of what we saw, but today it’s the big buzz word “prediction”.  Machine learning algorithms certainly can be useful but they too make errors.  A while back I connected data selling to lack of privacy and it got some attention, but I think not enough.

Excess Scoring of US Consumers, US Citizens-Scored into Oblivion By Proprietary Algorithms and Formulas, Never Duplicated or Tested for Accuracy-Profits of Big Business And A White House Executive Command To Continue the Abuse..

Today as companies see revenue streams disappear from their line of business, they turn to the easy solution of buying and selling consumer data, but it just doesn’t end there, they have to do something with it to create value, and that line of business today is called “scoring”.  It’s happening all around you and it’s evolved to what I call “Excess Scoring” as you have data scientists cranking and wrangling statistics and data every which way but loose to find out how to find some data with queries to sell.  Bloomberg bought a data mining company which they intend to use in house and also sell to their clients so they can predict the behavior of clients.  Bloomberg of course might be motivated as they stand to lose a lot of money when JP Morgan and Bank of America cut thousands of Bloomberg terminals which rent for $21,000 a year, which has been the life blood of the financial world for years.  Replace that revenue, mine and sell data. 

Bloomberg is only one of many examples out there too as you also see IBM pushing this cognitive data mining like crazy, and that’s what 13 quarter of declining sales and too many years of stock buybacks end up producing, where do you make up the lost revenue, mining and selling consumer data.  Sure there are some value areas with mining big data when it comes to “real” research like some in healthcare, but even some of that gets blurred as you end up being marketed to believe some app is a diagnosis tool, when in fact it’s nothing more than another risk assessment that gathers, mines and scores you and sells the data and the scores. 

CVS and IBM Watson Project–Please Make It Stop-13 Quarters of Declining Profits for IBM, Is This Is What We Get, More Algorithms Biting Us Constantly So More Data Can Be Mined and Sold Resulting In Excess “Scoring” of US Consumers..

Many healthcare companies get around the HIPAA areas with in fact not selling your data that they have, but rather just selling a “score” and there’s little HIPAA help there and with that, so goes any privacy.  When computer scientists and Quants are under pressure to create a revenue producing model, things go a bit crazy and correlations become spurious and data becomes flawed. 

Silicon Valley Is At It Again Confusing the Public With Calling Risk Assessments a Form of A Diagnosis Tool…

So what happens when the data becomes flawed?  Are there avenues for consumers to use to correct the flawed data and scores being produced and sold for money, which by the way is a $180 Billion dollar a year business?  Few and limited.  Argus Analytics is one firm that buys up credit card data and puts out tons of “scores” about your behavior patterns.  How many of you have heard of that company?  Probably not many I would guess. 

Argus Analytics Produces “Share of Credit Card” Data On Consumers - Digs Up The Dirt on Your Credit Card Behavior Patterns-US Consumer Protection Agency Is A Client-We Are Paying for Richard Cordray’s Slow Education Process

There have been some very faint efforts in Congress, they spend a lot of time talking about it, but again you have lawyers selling pixie dust that some magical new algorithms are going to protect consumers and on the deception goes.  With indexing and licensing data sellers, at least we would know who they are and where go to corrected flawed data.  Do we have that now? No!  You can find some of them but not all, especially the obscure companies that are taking the data and “scoring” you and selling those results. 

Senators Create a Bill to Go After the Data Brokers Selling Our Personal Data But It Doesn’t Go Far Enough-Tons of Companies And Banks Are Also Selling Our Data and Repackaging Information About Us…

BDEX is a “scoring” and data selling company, you probably never heard of.  Take look over there and see what’s going on with “scoring” you and your data.  They’re getting everything they can get their hands on and also tech and promote (and make money)showing others how to score you as well.  You’ll find Live Ramp from Acxiom over there too as a partner, Acxiom one of the biggest data brokers around. 

Most people have no clue that all their electronic transactions are for sale, there’s no privacy so use cash when you can if you want a little bit of privacy.  It’s all over the place and read the link below on now how CMS wants to sell Medicare data (link below).  Andy Slavitt, former director at CMS is a big promoter of “scoring everything and everybody” with a background of being a former Goldman banker and a high ranking United Healthcare Executive that racked everyone over the coals.  His big claim to fame was the error producing Ingenix Algorithms with physician pay and then later with medication adherence predictions with Express Scripts, selling algos to them.  The lawsuits still continue.  CMS wants to “approve” those who get the chance to buy and sell your Medicare data though, but we know how that goes, no regulation there as all as again, we don’t know who all the data sellers are in the US and exactly what they do? 

CMS Medicare Proposing More Data Selling of Both Private and Medicare Patient Claim Data - A New Dignity And Privacy Attack on Both Consumers and Doctors

Unfortunately Data Scores get used frequently out of context and you have no idea how many times and how you have been scored.  When it comes to skewing a correlation to make money, data scientists and quants will stop at nothing if it makes money as their job may depend on it.  So in fairness there’s some outside pressure to keep a job that might make them cheat a bit and go spurious.

The World Privacy Forum was all over this a couple years ago with their extensive report “The Secret Scoring of America” and it’s a good report.   In virtual worlds everyone gets to be LeBron, but in the real world, there’s only one LeBron.  We can thank Larry Ellison for those words of wisdom as sure he sees it loud and clear as well.  He’s a software engineer by trade and people that write code and create software are all very much aware of the bad side, but choose whether or not to talk about it.  Take note of the Alter egos of software engineers, data scientists and anyone who codes for big profits, i.e. Facebook. 

World Privacy Forum Report - The Scoring of America: How Secret Consumer Scores Threaten Your Privacy and Your Future - One Big Element that Fuels the Continued Attack of Killer Algorithms & Demise of the Middle Class Creating Profiteering And/Or Denial of Access

As consumers it’s only right that we at least know who’s scoring us and using our data when it gets flawed.  Are we to live out lives out with flawed profile created about us for the sake of corporations making big money selling it? Why even get out of bed every day when we are “scored” to the hilt with risk assessments that are like a ball and chain around our ankles I ask? 

Junk Science Appearing Everywhere, Even The White House “PR Templated” Correspondence Creates Spurious Correlations…

Sure there’s some useful scoring going on out there and we need some of that but there’s a lot of it that’s gone over the top.  Even UCLA this week came out and said they suggested to stop using the BMI to determine a person’s over all health.  Data Scorers can take that number and wrangle it into a massive amount of other data bases and turn you into a huge “risk” assessment that shouldn’t be allowed to walk on this earth!  That’s where we are getting today as more and more bogus risk assessments are created that are nothing more than algorithms and math models to make money.

Step one for any real privacy to exist is to determine who all the data sellers are and what they sell.  I’ve had honest quants and mathematicians alike as well as the World Privacy Forum agree with this as a first step of action versus the whacked out perceptions that are being promoted out there now as privacy efforts.  How about when you get (your data) gets repackaged and sold?  None of the privacy dupes are talking about that and it does exist.  If you don’t think this exists, you have been spending too much time living in some virtual worlds out there that exist.  Look at the recent case with Uber and Unroll.me. 

Anthem Data Breach–Crooks Want to Sell Data Too–The Impact of the “Data Selling For Profit Epidemic” That Exists in the US With Scoring Consumers Removing Access and Human Dignity

Prescription medication adherence scoring turns you into a non compliant Outlier and that data gets sold all over the place.  Most have no clue on how much money gets made selling your prescription data.  If you pay cash and they can’t find enough credit card data to prove you are filling a prescription, you default to being a non compliant Outlier.  Nice, huh?  How do you fix that?  These scores are all secret and you can’t get them, so you now there’s a double whammy, secret scores and secret data sellers you have no access to, can’t fix anything as a consumer that corporations “score” about you for a profile. 

The post below was generated by a conversation I had with a real pharmacist with these concerns.  Read it and take a look at bogus metrics being used to substantiate your behavior, which of course as humans is subject to vary every time we change our minds, so a lot of flawed data reported about you here with their scores.  The pharmacies have to make their numbers, not so much worry about how they educate you, just make those numbers using this flawed software. 

Patients Who Pay “Cash” When Filling Prescriptions Are Now Called “Outliers, Pharmacists Required to Fix Outliers as They Show Up As Non Medication Adherence Compliant With 5 Star Systems Full of Flawed Data…

Oh Crap, Now Hospitals Are Now Buying Data From Acxiom - Data Selling Epidemic Continues to Evade on Personal Privacy As “Algo Duped-Stat Rat” People Try to Implement Virtual Models That Won’t Work…

Again this is  a calling for those in our Congress to stop and do something for the consumer, give us at least the opportunity to know who’s scoring and selling our data?  We have to fight years ago to get that right for credit data and it’s gone way beyond that now with bringing in all other types of business entities with their secret scoring.  I guess at some point when the data scientists correlate to the point to where their spurious numbers are too far even for the dupes of hazard society to believe, well who knows what we might see, attacks on data centers?  So here’s my campaign that’s been out there for a few years now and I predicted this about 3 years ago too that data selling with skewing context about consumers would be the greatest attack on our liberties we’ve ever seen, all for the sake of corporations make money.  Scroll down and watch the 4 videos in the footer for some additional information from folks smarter than me. BD

Index and License all Data Sellers- Who Are they?  Put the brakes on this corporate profit making epidemic!

Related Reading from some archived posts:

Gamification–You Have Won and Now We Know All About You - It Didn’t Cost One Cent-Insurance Companies Have Games To Find Out More About You Too– “Attack of Killer Algorithms” Chapter 11

Congress To Investigate the Data Sellers - Need To Create a Law to Tax Them As The Algorithms Used For This Business Generate Billions of Dollars, Partly Why Corporate Profits Are So High - Remove the Medical Device Tax as They Produce Needed Jobs/Tangibles

PLOS One Abstract–Methodology for Detecting Manipulation of “P Values” To Show Significant Statistical Value, “Inappropriate Fiddling” Which Can Lead to “Algo Duping” Situations And Numbers

Big Data/Analytics If Used Out of Context and Without True Values Stand To Be A Huge Discriminatory Practice Against Consumers–More Honest Data Scientists Needed to Formulate Accuracy/Value To Keep Algo Duping For Profit Out of the Game

Hiding, Falsifying, And Accelerating Risk Has Become the Achilles Heel of the US Economy As the “Real” World” Clashes With the Values Created From a World of “Fictional Values” Of Formulas and Math

“Data Scientists”– An Oxymoron? Is Finding the Value in Data Bases Queried Together in the Business World To Make Money Actually Science?

Cathy O’Neil, Mathematician/Quant: Wall Street Quants The Culture, Big Data Mechanics, Algorithms, Data Mining, Lack of Privacy, Web Profiling, Health Insurance Profiles and Modeling Abuse…

Does the US Government Need a Department of Modeling and Algorithms–Is Data Addiction and Abuse the Next Up and Coming 12 Step Program, Some Classic Posts & Topics Revisited

Insurance Companies Are Buying Up Consumer Spending Data-Time is Here to License and Tax the Data Sellers-As Insurers Sell Tons of Data, Gets Flawed Data When Data Buyers Uses Out of Context Too

Big Data–The Data Science Code of Ethics-Designed By Those Who Create Models - Don’t Fall Victim To Write Fictitious Code and Models Just to Make Money With Clients Demanding Such

Modeling for Inequality With Segmentation, Insurance Industry Uses Backwards Segmentation As Some Models Stand to Threaten Overall Democracy

Data Floating Around the Web and You Don’t Know How It Got There? Time to License and Excise Tax Data Sellers–Identify “Flawed Data” Epidemic At The Root of the Problem

Licensing and Excise Taxing Data Sellers, Facial Recognition Yet One More Tool Used To Secure & Match Data - The Epidemic, Billions in Profits for Banks and US Corporations Using Killer Algorithms to Further Erode Consumer Privacy

FTC “Reclaim Your Name Campaign” Not Good Enough–No Path for Regulation Identified–All Data Sellers Including Banks, Insurers, Etc. Should Be Required to Buy a License

Data Selling Game Now Exploits the Non Regulated Billion Dollar Epidemic–”Data Dealer” The Attack of the Killer Algorithms Gamified

Pharma and Health Insurance Companies Pairing Up, Humana’s Analytics Subsidiary and Lilly To Figure Out How to Save (Make) Money and Provide Better Patient Care–Selling Research Data That Competes With FDA Sentinel Initiative

Insurance Company “In-Network” Complex Erroneous Algorithms Continue to Wreak Havoc With Patients and Doctors When It Comes To Coverage and Purchasing Insurance–Time to Begin “Sniffing Some Data”, To Include Labeling And Identifying Killer Algorithms

MasterCard As Well As Other Financial Institutions Using Big Data To Get Into Your “Online Pants” As Many Consumers Seem To Be Accidentally And Inadvertently Leaving Their “Internet Fly” Open

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and MIT Co-hosting Public Workshop - Big Data Privacy-Not Possible Unless We License and Excise Tax The Sellers, The Corporate Profit Epidemic Continues to Spread

Big Data In Farming, Back to the Data Selling Business Once Again With Concerns of Where the Data is Sold and Who Uses It To Profit, Paying for IP With the Food We Eat Today

60 Minutes Blasts The Data Sellers, FTC Admits They Have Lost Control - Time To License and Excise Tax “ALL” Data Sellers, Banks, Companies, Etc. - Congress Needs to Act On This…

Fraud Algorithms Failing at Indiegogo Crowd Funding Site-Some Getting Through With Physicists Claiming the Technology Claimed Is Not Possible-Healthcare Related Apps/Devices

Limitations And Risks Of Machine Ethics (That Really Don’t Exist) - Abstract Basically Substantiating the Existence of What I Coined As “The Attacks of the Killer Algorithms”…

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[mrjohnhthompson]

What Does It Mean To Be Middle Class In Malaysia In 2017

When Budget 2017 was unveiled last year, Malaysians were already coming to grips with the rising cost of living, soaring house prices and deep levels of debt. While the federal budget consolidated current personal tax reliefs into a lifestyle relief and introduced two new reliefs to assist young families, some critics say that the key people driving the country’s economy – the middle-income and top earners – have been forgotten. For example, one tax consultant said he expected lower level tax bands to be widened to provide the M40 – or the middle 40% – with extra disposable income. It is believed that this group of Malaysians are the one struggling with rising costs of transportation, education, healthcare and interest charges on cars and housing loans. In the same breath, they are the ones who drive the private sector. So, what does it mean to be among the middle 40%?

Defining the middle class

A straightforward answer can be derived from the definition of the M40 group which refers to households with a monthly income of between RM3,860 and RM8,319. But definitions of the middle class include a wide degree of subjectivity. What constitutes the “middle class” differ across and within the social sciences. From the perspective of economists, the middle class has been defined using absolute or relative levels of income or a combination of the two. Also, subjective measures look at those who self-identify as being part of this group based on their own perceptions and aspirations. This manner of identifying the middle class can be seen through polls conducted by the World Values Survey, Pew Global and Gallup. The World Bank, in its Malaysia Economic Monitor 2014: Towards A Middle-Class Society, proposed a definition that includes those households earning more than the mean income. The Statistics Department, in its latest findings dated 2014, put the average household income of the middle 40% at RM5,662. [table id=731 /] The World Bank, however, said 33% of all Malaysian households with a monthly income of more than RM5,919 in 2014 fell into the middle class or beyond.

Putting the numbers in context

Since 2014, economists and academics have believed the term “middle class” did not have the same meaning it had more than 10 years ago, citing the challenges faced by this group in coping with the demands of life today. What makes this harder to gauge is while disposable income or savings is a good indicator of how many people “live comfortably”, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Statistics Department stated in a media report they do not track such data. Ong Wooi Leng, a senior analyst at think tank Penang Institute, believes that the monthly household income unveiled during the 2016 budget is a well-received indicator to determine the M40 or middle-class household. “However, it needs to be carefully defined,” she tells iMoney in an email interview. “The ideal income range for M40 needs to take into account other factors contributing to household expenses.” She cited household size, education qualifications, occupation and residential location among the factors that could contribute to whether the income range set by the Malaysian government was feasible. “For instance, a household of four living in the Klang Valley with an income of RM4,000 per month would be classified as urban poor due to the higher cost of living,” she said. Here’s our estimates of how much a family of four living around the Klang Valley would need to get by on a monthly basis: [table id=732 /] This is just a rough estimate for a family of four to live comfortably in an urban environment. This would place them at the upper ranges of the M40 group and is certainly more than the average. However, this does not factor in savings and other miscellaneous costs such as daycare fees, among others, which could easily cost upwards of RM1,500 a month.

Stuck in the middle?

According to Ong, the middle class faces two challenges: First, these households may face a tougher time landing their first homes. This despite government aid for affordable housing such as PR1MA for households with income not more than RM15,000. The Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey Report published by the Statistics Department found that M40 households recorded a double-digit growth in median monthly household income from an annual 6.3% in 2013 to 11.8% in 2014. “But, property prices have skyrocketed since 2010. House prices around Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang have drastically risen by 15.6%, 22.7% and 15.6% respectively year-on-year in 2013. “Despite the fact that the hike has been moderate in the last two years, it has reached a level where younger households cannot afford to own their first home,” she tells iMoney, adding that the risk-to-debt service ability could be higher if the monthly income did not keep pace with the spike in house prices. Second, middle-income households would be more cautious and softer on their expenditure due to the weekly floating fuel prices. “Consumer sentiment would be high and M40 households who are largely tertiary educated could be more watchful to the changes in global oil prices. Those living in the urban area may opt for alternative transport such as GrabCar and Uber services for the ease of mobility and saving in petrol expenses,” she said.

Upskill, adapt or lose out

Needless to say, in the name of making ends meet, the middle class may need to work multiple jobs. We have written extensively on avenues where one can generate a side income, from ride-sharing to blogging to freelancing on platforms such as Upwork and Freelancer.com. “Given the advancement of e-commerce, it may not be impossible. Many start-ups have created platforms for full-timers looking for a second income,” said Ong. But even before one talks about multiple income streams, perhaps it is best to begin with paying down debt. Our survey showed millennials being neck-deep in debt, with credit cards being one of the main culprits. Household debt is also at an all-time high. There is no easy way out. Sometimes, drastic measures may need to be implemented and we are not just talking about foregoing your morning Starbucks fix – you might need to alter your diet and go vegetarian and even rely on public transport to get around the city. If property is on your mind, then expectations also have to change. One opportunity that might provide for some relief is PR1MA. If you are not selected, as the affordable housing scheme runs on a ballot system, then purchasing a property within your means might just be a feasible option. But for households dreaming of upward mobility, the only route is upskilling. “Upskilling is vital to ensure that the Malaysian workforces stays competitive and grows at the cutting edge of innovation and technology. “Human capital development is believed to be the only solution to move this group of households upward,” Ong tells iMoney. While there may not be an aggressive push to upskill from government or private sectors, you can certainly take the steps to further your education. One option is to use your EPF Account 2 and go back to school to do post-graduate studies such as an MBA. If you are tight with money and prefer to leave your EPF account alone, consider enrolling for online courses. There are many platforms such as edX and Coursera where you can either learn something for free or pay a slight fee. While these may not be as intensive as pursuing an MBA in a reputed college or university, you still get to take away new skills and use what you’ve learned to either seek a better paying job or even negotiate for a higher salary or even work your way to a promotion. In economics, it is believed that it is easier for a low-income country to be middle-income, than it is for a middle-income country to be a higher-income one. In fact, only 13 of 101 middle-income economies in 1960 reached high-income status by 2008. While Malaysia may be on the cusp of moving into high-income territory, its citizens will have to continue cutting costs as the country navigates through choppy economic waters. Ong believes the answer for the country to step out of the middle-income trap is to retain local talent and recruit top foreign expertise to train the existing workforce. For the average Malaysian, the first stepping is simply taking charge of his or her finances and being prudent with their spending.

The post What Does It Mean To Be Middle Class In Malaysia In 2017 appeared first on iMoney Malaysia.

[giveuselife-blog]

Ten Hints for Comparing Health Care Guidelines And Regulations

New Post has been published on https://giveuselife.org/ten-hints-for-comparing-health-care-guidelines-and-regulations/

Ten Hints for Comparing Health Care Guidelines And Regulations

Australians already realize that Fitness insurance can offer protection for people and families when a medical need arises. Many, however, do not realize the way to discover the pleasant price whilst Comparing health care insurance Guidelines.

Beneath are 10 Suggestions all and sundry need to study before searching for non-public Health coverage.

1. Choose insurance that concentrates for your particular Fitness wishes or ability Fitness wishes.

The primary thing you have to do before Evaluating your Health plan options determines which coverage functions high-quality fit you. A 30-12 months-antique accountant, for instance, goes to want very one-of-a-kind insurance than a 55year-old pro golfer, or a seventy five-yr-antique retired veterinarian. By using understanding the Fitness needs that most customarily correspond to people in your age and interest level institution – your lifestyles level – you could keep cash By using buying simplest the insurance you want and keep away from unnecessary offerings that are not applicable. as an instance, a younger circle of relatives with small children is not going to want coverage for joint replacement or cataract surgical operation. A 60-yr-vintage college instructor is not going to need being pregnant and beginning control-associated services.

Whether or not it is excessive degree complete care you’re after, or the least luxurious choice to exempt you from the medical Levy Surcharge while offering fundamental care insurance, constantly ensure you’re Evaluating medical health insurance Policies with best those services that make an experience for you and your family.

2. Recall options together with Extra or Co-price to reduce your top rate charges.

Whilst you comply with pay for a specified out-of-pocket amount in the event you are hospitalized, you signal an Excess or Co-charge option in order to reduce your medical health insurance top class.

If you Select the Access alternative, you agree to pay a predetermined, precise amount When you visit the medical institution, no matter how long your live lasts. With a Coffee option, you settle for paying an each day some as much as a pre-agreed amount. As an example, if Joanne has an Extra of $250 on her clinical insurance policy and is admitted to the health facility, regardless of how long her life turns out to be, she can pay $250 of the final invoice. If Andrew has signed a $75×4 Coffee along with his company, he can pay $75 per day for just The first The first 4 days of his hospitalization.

For younger individuals who are wholesome and suit and not using a reason to expect to land in clinic anytime soon, either of those options is splendid methods to lessen the month-to-month price of your medical insurance rates. Understand that extraordinary non-public insurers have their personal rules on the subject of Access and Co-payments, such as how many payments you’ll want to make yearly on both options. It is essential to examine the policy thoroughly and ask questions in advance in an effort to have a clear know-how of what you are paying for, and what you may count on coverage-smart in the occasion that you are hospitalized. Also, make sure you Choose an Access alternative greater than $500 If you’re shopping an man or woman policy, or $1,000 for the circle of relatives insurance, with a purpose to be exempted from the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

three. Pay your health insurance top class earlier before the value will increase.

Every year insurance vendors increase their charges Through about 5 percentage someday around the first of April, a practice accredited By means of the Minister of Health. By instituting these annual increases, your health insurance company retains the ability to satisfy their duties to policyholders despite growing scientific expenses.

Maximum private clinical policy companies allow coverage holders to pay for twelve months’s premium earlier, which locks them into the previous year’s price for an extra one year – a awesome way to keep cash. so one can take gain of the savings presented, Most insurers require charge in complete be made in the first region of the 12 months, between January and March.

four. Lock into low fee health insurance at an early age.

The Maximum obvious gain any Australian can take with regards to saving money on your coverage charges is to buy in early to the least high-priced charge available. And By means of early, we suggest earlier than age 31. anyone who’s eligible for Medicare will get hold of at the least a 30 percent rebate from the government on the charge of their Fitness care top rate, no matter what age you are. however, Through shopping hospital insurance before the July first following your thirty-first birthday, you could be ensured the lowest premium price to be had.

After age 31, your health insurance price is subjected to a percentage penalty fee increase for each yr after age 30 which you did no longer have medical health insurance. Therefore, If you wait to buy private Health insurance until you are age 35, you may pay 10 percentage greater annually than you’ll have If you had bought it at age 30.

There are exemptions for a few people who were distant places once they grew to become 30, or for brand new immigrants, and positive others beneath special exception repute. but, if you acquire personal coverage after age 30 and are paying an age loading penalty in your Fitness coverage, you will be relieved of the Extra penalty after 10 years of persistent coverage.

The earlier in lifestyles that you lock into a non-public Fitness plan, the more money you may store each right away and over your lifetime.

5. Pick out a Healthcare provider who already works along with your Fitness fund.

decide which sanatorium you decide on if and whilst the need for treatment does arise, and are searching for out the one’s health insurance companies which have an agreement along with your medical institution of preference before you make a decision on your medical health insurance purchase.

it is a good idea to Additionally discover in case your insurer has a listing of “preferred providers,” which would encompass the one’s physicians and practitioners who Also have made preparations with the Health budget concerning their fees for services. Request this information from every issue while Evaluating medical insurance Guidelines. This way you can make certain you may receive the full gamut of blessings to be had at the bottom possible fee. those desired vendors often have “no hole” cowl – special rates that reduce or get rid of out-of-pocket fees to policyholders.

6. Double test your medical insurance coverage earlier than you time table any treatment or processes to ensure you have insurance.

Any time you’re headed to a personal medical institution for remedy, first check to see if the hospital and your medical insurance issuer have an agreement to be virtually positive you have got good enough coverage. On the same time, test along with your coverage company, the medical doctor and the clinic to peer if there may be a gap between their costs and the government’s Medicare blessings. This is extraordinarily critical due to the fact if your doctor costs greater than Medicare covers and also you do no longer have a “no gap” plan set up, you may locate yourself answerable for a substantial invoice. Simply contact your medical doctor and your insurance employer to double test on those gadgets, and keep away from being saddled with an out-of-pocket rate your weren’t watching for.

7. Record your price claims right away.

If you have a medical health insurance club card, you can Document a claim towards your benefits At the time of treatment and not use an extra paperwork or file to fear about, at the least in Maximum instances. On occasion, you could nonetheless want to Document a claim along with your insurance company. when that takes place, make certain to File you are declare directly. The typical cut-off for insurers to pay Fitness care claims is two years. you could Record your health insurance claim immediately along with your provider or at your region Medicare workplace, which has a reciprocal agreement in the vicinity with Most coverage providers.

8. Every time you travel overseas, drop your Fitness coverage.

Every time you journey remote places for various weeks, however, less than 24 months, sure health insurance companies permit policyholders to drop their memberships for the time they are out of the country, liberating the policyholders from paying premiums at some stage in that term. at the same time as your insurance policy is suspended, your Lifetime Fitness cowl reputation stays intact, so that you do not have to fear about age loading delivered When you go back home. touch your health insurance provider to make sure in their coverage and rules regarding ready intervals and re-activation.

Don’t forget too that Australia has reciprocal preparations in positive countries, which include New Zealand, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. For more records, visit

9. Evaluation your coverage benefits annually.

Life trade, people get married, have kids, age – youngsters grow up and circulate out on their personal, couples separate. Lots can occur within the span of 365 days, which is why the private medical health insurance Ombudsman recommends that everyone Evaluation their policy blessings as soon as each year to make sure your insurance nevertheless suits your needs.

no matter your existence changes, your Lifetime Fitness cowl popularity remains protected, and waiting periods for advantages that identical your modern-day insurance are waived in compliance with the non-public health insurance Act of 2007. This indicates you’ll be capable of Record claims associated with features you had earlier than you made any changes without interruption in benefits.

10. Evaluate Guidelines to get the exceptional charge and the insurance you need.

To make certain that you are getting the fine feasible charge to your medical insurance top class, you ought to Examine Guidelines from special insurers, ensure you are Comparing Guidelines that replicate the treatment plan and insurance you want, without filler offerings that you won’t want. The greater you realize about private Fitness coverage and authorities backed Medicare, the more likely you will discover the first-rate value to your money when it comes time to purchasing or renewing your Fitness insurance.

[takebackthedream]

Nixon, Reagan Paved Way for GOP's Race-Charged Health Agenda by Richard Eskow

After a presidential campaign filled with racist rhetoric, the Republicans have proposed a healthcare agenda that will harm many black, brown, and poor Americans while helping the white and wealthy. It’s the same cynical strategy Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan pioneered decades ago.

Southern Strategy

To be sure, the Democratic Party has its own legacy of racism. They couldn’t have prevailed for so long in the Jim Crow South without it. Richard Nixon, who was openly racist in private, sought to undermine Democrats with his 1968 campaign’s “Southern strategy,” which welcomed segregationists into the Republican party.

It worked. Urban riots in 1967 had already provoked fear among many white voters, who didn’t understand their underlying causes. Mass demonstrations for peace and civil rights confused and disturbed them. Nixon’s “law and order” rhetoric, which foreshadowed Donald Trump’s, sent a thinly-disguised message to white voters that he would protect them from blacks and hippies.

Nixon’s “war on drugs” was another racially-based stratagem, as top White House aide John Ehrlichman later admitted:

You want to know what this was really all about? (We) had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people … We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news.

Ehrlichman added: “Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

Reagan on Race

Ronald Reagan, whose propensity for bald-faced lying paved the way for Trump’s disregard for the truth, specialized in caricaturing poor and black Americans.

“If you are a slum dweller,” Reagan once said, “you can get an apartment with 11‐foot ceilings, with a 20‐foot balcony, a swimming pool and gymnasium, laundry room and play room, and the rent begins at $113.20 and that includes utilities.”

That claim was false.

Reagan also promoted the legend of a Cadillac-driving “welfare queen,” based on the case of a woman who was thought to be African-American. “She used 80 names,” Reagan said, “30 addresses, 15 telephone numbers to collect food stamps, Social Security, veterans’ benefits for four nonexistent deceased veteran husbands, as well as welfare. Her tax-free cash income alone has been running $150,000 a year.

Reagan was lying again. The woman in question was charged with using four aliases, not 80. She was convicted of fraudulently collecting $8,000, not $150,000 per year. And, far from being typical, she was an unusual character with an extraordinary propensity for criminality.

The “welfare queen” myth fit the Republican ideological universe perfectly: she was black, undeserving – and a woman. The story caught on like wildfire, and Ronald Reagan became president four years later.

As president, Reagan pioneered the kind of government-by-oligarchy Trump champions three decades later. As Peter Dreier recounted in 2004, Reagan “appointed a housing task force dominated by politically connected developers, landlords and bankers.” That task force proposed deep cuts to housing assistance for the poor, saying that “free and deregulated” markets would solve the problem.

Predictably, this advice led to a surge in homelessness. When confronted about this on television in 1984, Reagan responded that “people who are sleeping on the grates… the homeless… are homeless, you might say, by choice.”

Obama To Trump

The presidency of Barack Obama seemed to drive Republican politicians into a frenzy, despite Obama’s political moderation. The Reaganesque rhetoric of hate returned, with Republicans fulminating about an “entitlement society” that offered privileges to the black and poor. GOP stalwart Newt Gingrich even described the nation’s first black president as “the food-stamp president.”

They still follow Ehrlichman’s stratagem of denial, of course. “Gingrich would say that if Obama was white,” a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute improbably asserted to CNN.

Everybody knows who Republicans mean when they talk about “the poor.” American media have been equating poverty with blackness for years. When Yale political scientist Martin Gilens analyzed news coverage of poverty in 1996 and 1997, he found African Americans were portrayed in 62 percent of the poverty stories in leading magazines, and in 65 percent of network news stories about welfare. News magazines depicted nearly 100 percent of the “underclass” as African-American, but fewer black people were the subjects of “sympathetic” coverage about welfare.

Today, the GOP even has “think tanks” that churn out racially-tinged talking points. The far-right American Enterprise Institute specializes in provoking outrage at the supposedly luxurious lifestyle of the poor. It is common to complain, as Heritage Foundation fellow Robert Rector did in 2004, about the fact that most poor people have televisions – and color televisions, at that! If you’re poor, you’re apparently expected to stare at the wall all night and reflect on your personal shortcomings.

A 2011 Heritage report co-authored by Rector concluded, among other things, that a lot of poor people have refrigerators. It offers comments like this: “80 percent of poor households have air conditioning. In 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.”

Note that nearly all of those households also have electric light,  while zero percent of the entire U.S. population had electric light in 1878.

The faux Fox outrage that followed this 2011 report – “how can you be poor and have all this stuff?” asked Bill O’Reilly – paved the way for Rep. Jason Chaffetz’s disparaging remarks last week about poor people who “love” their iPhones. Republican Rep. Steve King turned up the racial heat this week with racist, white nationalist comments that openly equated “our civilization” with white European culture.

Those comments shouldn’t have surprised anyone. Republican politicians have been attacking black, brown, and poor people for at least half a century with the same kind of language. And they’ve been doing it for the same reason: to promote policies that benefit the wealthy, while harming the poor and middle class.

White voters who fall for this ruse will pay a price in the end. It will be no different this time. The GOP’s health care plan also disproportionately harms rural communities and older lower-income people, including the aging lower-income whites who are increasingly plagued by addiction, overdose, and suicide.

As Republicans roll out their divisive agenda, Senator Bernie Sanders has been reaching out to these voters, and their response so far has been promising. That’s a good sign. These voters – and the rest of the country – deserve an alternative to the politics of division, fear, and hate.