U.S. Special Forces by the Numbers
149 - The number of countries in which U.S. Special Operations forces were deployed in 2017.
70K - Total number of U.S. Special Operations troops.
71.5K - Total number of active-duty officers in the Canadian Armed Forces.
44K - Number of U.S. military personnel that Pentagon has lost track of. (Source: "DC By the Numbers," The Nation, January 15/22, 2018.)
Costs of Extreme Weather
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a report in January that calculated the staggering costs of extreme weather in the United States.
$306B - Amount spent by the federal government in the aftermath of natural disasters in 2017 -- a new record.
16 - Current number of years between extreme-weather events like Hurricane Harvey, which were previously described as "once in a century."
50% - Portion of land flooded by Harvey in Harris County, Texas, that was outside the official flood zone. FEMA doesn't require people in these areas to buy flood insurance.
1 - Ranking of "extreme weather events" on a list of prominent and likely risks for 2018 released by the World Economic Forum in January. (Source: "DC By the Numbers." The Nation, February 12/19, 2018.)
Mortgage Interest Deduction
By 2027, the mortgage interest deduction will provide the wealthiest 0.1 percent of the country with a quarter of the benefits,which translates into an extra $278,370 in their pockets. Meanwhile, the poorest fifth gets just 0.3 percent, or a mere $10 extra. Other analyses have found that many low-to-moderate-income families would wind up with a tax increase. (Source: Bryce Covert + Mike Konczal, "Deductive Reasoning," The Nation, December 18/25, 2017.)
Treating Poorer Nations With Contempt
"America has a consistent history of treating smaller, weaker, poorer nations with contempt." "Liberals and progressives need to come to come to terms with the fact that not only was it possible for such an openly racist candidate to get elected, but that this could never have happened if the country weren't more racist than they had previously believed." "America, like most of the West, has not only referred to but treated much of Africa, the Caribbean, and the other nonwhite portions of the planet as shitholes." (Source: Gary Younge, "Trump's Appalling Clarity," The Nation, February 12/19, 2018.)
Shaking Fist Crime
Ahed Tarrini was arrested for shaking her fist in the face of an Israeli soldier. Due to the "gravity of offenses of which she is accused" -- military prosecuters came up with a dozen charges -- Ahed will spend her 17th birthday in a cell. "More than 99 percent of Palestinians tried in Israel's courts are convicted." (Source: Ben Ehrenreich, "Occupation Child," " The Nation, February 12/19, 2018.)
Beware the Gerrymander
In North Carolina in the 2016 elections, Republican congressional candidates won 10 of the state's 13 available seats, despite winning just over half of the statewide vote. One key finding cited by the panel of federal judges showed that out of 24,518 randomly generated congressional maps, over 99 percent would have resulted in Democrats winning more than the three U.S. House seats they currently hold. (Source: Andrew Tan and Delli Cicchi, "Beware the Gerrymander," The Nation, February 12/19, 2018.)
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Monday, February 12, 2018
Quick Looks at the State of Our Surrounding World
#On January 31, 2018, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report announcing a historic database of companies doing business with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. U.S. companies on the list include Caterpillar, Priceline.com, TripAdviser, and Airbnb.
#With the SALT cap at $10,000, many taxpayers could soon face steeper bills; some 4.1 million Americans pay more than $10,000 annually in property taxes alone. (Source: "Taxes: What the SALT cap means for high-tax states," The Week, January 12, 2018.)
#The Economic Policy Institute says that the top one percent own 40 percent of all stocks; also, 56.2 percent of private sector non-union employees are subject to mandatory employment arbitration procedures.
#Federal and state courts have struck down Republican-drawn congressional maps in Texas, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. As many as 67 districts are involved.
#The Trump Nuclear Posture Review, released on February 2, 2018, calls for new "low-yield" nuclear weapons in order to "enhance deterrence by denying potential adversaries any mistaken confidence that limited nuclear employment can provide a useful advantage over the United States and its allies." This will lower the threshold for actual use of nuclear weapons.
#Trump claims that "thousands and thousands" of MS-13 members are off the streets. This is a typical exaggeration.
#A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 73 percent of Republicans believe both the DOJ and FBI are trying to destroy Trump.
#Israeli police have recommended Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted for corruption.
#18 states have raised the minimum wage for 2018, however, most of the raises will be 50 cents an hour or less.
#A Massachusetts legislative committee has failed to advance a bill to ban boycotts of Israel (BDS). This is a victory for boycott supporters.
#The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget forecasts that the new two-year spending bill will ensure permanent trillion-dollar deficits. The projected deficit for FY 2019 is $1.1 trillion, compared to $439 for FY 2015.
#The Military Times did a survey on a military parade and 51,000 responded, with 89 percent saying: "No, it's a waste of money and troops are too busy." Only 11 percent said: "Yes, it's a great opportunity to show off U.S. military might."
# Trump has said he is "non-braggadocio."
#A Marist poll finds that if a national conflict pits Trump against the FBI, the FBI would win by a margin of 66 to 24 percent. By an 11 percent margin, voters want to strip Trump of his GOP House majority.
#With the SALT cap at $10,000, many taxpayers could soon face steeper bills; some 4.1 million Americans pay more than $10,000 annually in property taxes alone. (Source: "Taxes: What the SALT cap means for high-tax states," The Week, January 12, 2018.)
#The Economic Policy Institute says that the top one percent own 40 percent of all stocks; also, 56.2 percent of private sector non-union employees are subject to mandatory employment arbitration procedures.
#Federal and state courts have struck down Republican-drawn congressional maps in Texas, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. As many as 67 districts are involved.
#The Trump Nuclear Posture Review, released on February 2, 2018, calls for new "low-yield" nuclear weapons in order to "enhance deterrence by denying potential adversaries any mistaken confidence that limited nuclear employment can provide a useful advantage over the United States and its allies." This will lower the threshold for actual use of nuclear weapons.
#Trump claims that "thousands and thousands" of MS-13 members are off the streets. This is a typical exaggeration.
#A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 73 percent of Republicans believe both the DOJ and FBI are trying to destroy Trump.
#Israeli police have recommended Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted for corruption.
#18 states have raised the minimum wage for 2018, however, most of the raises will be 50 cents an hour or less.
#A Massachusetts legislative committee has failed to advance a bill to ban boycotts of Israel (BDS). This is a victory for boycott supporters.
#The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget forecasts that the new two-year spending bill will ensure permanent trillion-dollar deficits. The projected deficit for FY 2019 is $1.1 trillion, compared to $439 for FY 2015.
#The Military Times did a survey on a military parade and 51,000 responded, with 89 percent saying: "No, it's a waste of money and troops are too busy." Only 11 percent said: "Yes, it's a great opportunity to show off U.S. military might."
# Trump has said he is "non-braggadocio."
#A Marist poll finds that if a national conflict pits Trump against the FBI, the FBI would win by a margin of 66 to 24 percent. By an 11 percent margin, voters want to strip Trump of his GOP House majority.
Monday, February 5, 2018
What Republican Party Represents
GOP Beliefs
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is struggling to figure out what the Republican Party represents. He relayed his concerns at a recent committee meeting:
"They claim to be the 'Party of Fiscal Responsibility.' Yet, they saddle our children and grandchildren with $1.5 trillion dollars in additional debt, simply to pay for tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, corporations and big donors. --- Are you for fiscal responsibility, or are you against it?
You claim to be the 'Party of Law and Order.' Yet, regularly attack Department of Justice officials and FBI agents who are simply doing their job to keep the country safe. --- Are you for Law and Order, or are you against it?
You claim to be the 'Party of Foreign Policy Hawks.' Yet, many are providing aid and comfort to Russian spies who interfaced with our Election according to 17 different intelligence agencies, for the purpose of helping to artificially elect 45. --- Are you for Foreign Policy Hawks, or are you not?
You claim to be the 'Party of the Rule of Law.' And yet, many regularly attack special prosecuter Bob Mueller, who prior to his appointment was highly regarded on both sides of the aisle as a talented, pristine law enforcement professional who has sacrificed much for our country. --- Are you for the Rule of Law, or are you not?
You claim to be the 'Party of Family Values.' And yet, the highest ranking Republican official in the land endorsed and supported, and campaigned for an accused pediphile (sic) and child molester for a United States Senate seat. --- Are you for Family Values, or are you against it?"
Infrastructure Challenges
200 - Estimated number of years it would take to fully replace the nation's drinking-water pipes at the current rate.
D+ - Grade given to the country's energy infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers; the grid would cost nearly $5 trillion to replace.
188M - Trips taken every day across structurally deficient bridges in the U.S.; repairing them would cost more than $120 billion.
$200B - Total federal infrastructure spending over the next 10 years that Trump is expected to announce; Democrats have proposed $1 trillion in new investment. (Source: The Nation, January 29/February 5, 2018.)
ADDENDUMS:
*The U.S. Air Force plans to conduct two test launches of its Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile in February, while the Olympic Truce is meant to be in force. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has asked to postpone the tests until after the Truce ends.
*South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-Wha has called on the North Korean crisis to be solved by diplomacy, not military, means.
*The outgoing head of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Frank Klotz, says the agency is at capacity in people, materials and time to do its work.He says that the agency will need more than the initial estimate of $350 billion over the next 30 years.
*A new edition of the "Nuclear Notebook" in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists concludes that North Korea has enough fissile material to build 30 to 60 nuclear weapons, and may already have 10 to 20.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is struggling to figure out what the Republican Party represents. He relayed his concerns at a recent committee meeting:
"They claim to be the 'Party of Fiscal Responsibility.' Yet, they saddle our children and grandchildren with $1.5 trillion dollars in additional debt, simply to pay for tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, corporations and big donors. --- Are you for fiscal responsibility, or are you against it?
You claim to be the 'Party of Law and Order.' Yet, regularly attack Department of Justice officials and FBI agents who are simply doing their job to keep the country safe. --- Are you for Law and Order, or are you against it?
You claim to be the 'Party of Foreign Policy Hawks.' Yet, many are providing aid and comfort to Russian spies who interfaced with our Election according to 17 different intelligence agencies, for the purpose of helping to artificially elect 45. --- Are you for Foreign Policy Hawks, or are you not?
You claim to be the 'Party of the Rule of Law.' And yet, many regularly attack special prosecuter Bob Mueller, who prior to his appointment was highly regarded on both sides of the aisle as a talented, pristine law enforcement professional who has sacrificed much for our country. --- Are you for the Rule of Law, or are you not?
You claim to be the 'Party of Family Values.' And yet, the highest ranking Republican official in the land endorsed and supported, and campaigned for an accused pediphile (sic) and child molester for a United States Senate seat. --- Are you for Family Values, or are you against it?"
Infrastructure Challenges
200 - Estimated number of years it would take to fully replace the nation's drinking-water pipes at the current rate.
D+ - Grade given to the country's energy infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers; the grid would cost nearly $5 trillion to replace.
188M - Trips taken every day across structurally deficient bridges in the U.S.; repairing them would cost more than $120 billion.
$200B - Total federal infrastructure spending over the next 10 years that Trump is expected to announce; Democrats have proposed $1 trillion in new investment. (Source: The Nation, January 29/February 5, 2018.)
ADDENDUMS:
*The U.S. Air Force plans to conduct two test launches of its Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile in February, while the Olympic Truce is meant to be in force. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has asked to postpone the tests until after the Truce ends.
*South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-Wha has called on the North Korean crisis to be solved by diplomacy, not military, means.
*The outgoing head of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Frank Klotz, says the agency is at capacity in people, materials and time to do its work.He says that the agency will need more than the initial estimate of $350 billion over the next 30 years.
*A new edition of the "Nuclear Notebook" in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists concludes that North Korea has enough fissile material to build 30 to 60 nuclear weapons, and may already have 10 to 20.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)