dailykos--2020-05-16--Dispatches From Behind Enemy Lines (Covid-19 edition)

It has been a while ( a few years ) since I have posted a last Dispatch .
I thought though with most ( sane ) people finding themselves at home it may be a good time to restart the thread , with a particular focus on Covid-19 issues .
The effort , as always , is to periodically highlight smart pieces that you might have been missed and otherwise merit further discussion .
( Please feel free to suggest additional articles/columns in the comments below or by Kosmail. )
.
Here we go : The depths of unemployment associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly grasp .
So this terrifying animated graph of the joblessness numbers is required viewing for any person looking to be reasonably informed .
( Also ….. Holy Shit ! )
Will universities ever be the same ?
The Coronavirus pandemic has had a particularly strong impact on a certain institution and life experience — the college experience — and it is not clear whether universities and colleges will ever ( or should ) return to normal .
If not , this will entail a significant change for American culture .
In “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicts that “ a handful of elite cyborg universities will soon monopolize higher education , ” as well as a number of other interesting insights : There ’ s a recognition that education — the value , the price , the product — has fundamentally shifted .
The value of education has been substantially degraded .
There ’ s the education certification and then there ’ s the experience part of college .
The experience part of it is down to zero , and the education part has been dramatically reduced .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will be reduced in value as we realize it ’ s not the same to be a graduate of a liberal-arts college if you never went to campus .
You can see already how students and their parents are responding .
At universities , we ’ re having constant meetings , and we ’ ve all adopted this narrative of “ This is unprecedented , and we ’ re in this together , ” which is Latin for “ We ’ re not lowering our prices , bitches.
” Universities are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasis added ] with each saying , “ We ’ re going to maintain these prices for what has become , overnight , a dramatically less compelling product offering.
” In fact , the coronavirus is forcing people to take a hard look at that $ 51,000 tuition they ’ re spending .
The entire article is worth a full read , and it does not paint a rosy picture : It will be like department stores in 2018 .
Everyone will recognize they ’ re going out of business , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There will be a lot of zombie universities .
Alumni will step in to help .
They ’ ll cut costs to figure out how to stay alive , but they ’ ll effectively be the walking dead .
I don ’ t think you ’ re going to see massive shutdowns , but there ’ s going to be a strain on tier-two colleges .
There will be a dip , the mother of all V ’ s , among the top-50 universities , where the revenues are hit in the short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrollments and they will come back stronger .
In ten years , it ’ s feasible to think that MIT doesn ’ t welcome 1,000 freshmen to campus ; it welcomes 10,000 .
What that means is the top-20 universities globally are going to become even stronger .
What it also means is that universities Nos .
20 to 50 are fine .
But Nos .
50 to 1,000 go out of business or become a shadow of themselves .
I don ’ t want to say that education is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be dramatically different .
Both the immediate and long-term future of getting a college degree is greatly complicated and uncertain these days .
Please comment below if you have any strong thoughts on this .
Google and Apple may be balking at contact tracing software .
Are they right ?
While many of us lament the lack of a plan to “ test and trace ” to combat Covid-19 , that program — when fully explained — does require a fairly intrusive , “ Orwellian ” program that would use our cell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , location data to identify everyone whom an infected person came near — and then advise those people to self-quarantine .
So , under an ideal version of this program , if you were in a McDonalds in NYC at the same time as someone ( entirely unrelated ) infected with Covid-19 , the “ twinning ” cell phone data would reveal that interaction , and you would be notified to get testing and/or stay home yourself for two weeks ( or so ) .
It is an effective concept , but requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclosure of personal date .
And the recent news is that Google and Apple are not on board with that : To me , this is not such an easy question .
It ’ s another issue that I would love to hear other ’ s thoughts in the comments .
Keep your eye on the big picture .
In “ The Dawn of the BlackRock Era , ” Alexander Sammon of explains how “ the world ’ s largest asset manager is poised for overwhelming influence no matter who wins the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s biggest asset manager , handling $ 7.4 trillion in customer assets .
It ’ s twice as profitable as Goldman .
It ’ s got offices in 30 countries and clients in a hundred .
The company ’ s Aladdin risk-management system , an industry-standard software tool that monitors trading , watches over another $ 20 trillion in assets for 200 other financial firms , as well as the Federal Reserve and European central banks .
This makes BlackRock part money manager , part institutional investor , part software platform , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a pioneer in junk bonds , and has often been referred to as the world ’ s largest shadow bank .
In March , the Federal Reserve announced that it had tapped BlackRock to serve as an investment adviser and asset manager for multiple debt-buying programs on behalf of the U.S. central bank as part of the CARES Act bailout program , a money pot worth hundreds of billions of dollars .
With BlackRock ’ s advisement , the Fed committed to buying unlimited purchases of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ securities .
Of course , that decision put BlackRock on both sides of a multitrillion-dollar bailout windfall : As Bloomberg reported , “ Under the arrangement [ BlackRock ] could buy some of its own funds on behalf of the central bank.
” Read the full piece , or else you won ’ t know what is really happening .
As the author notes , this is a reprise of Goldman Sachs and the 2008 crisis — only on a much , much larger scale .
Michael Flynn isn ’ t a martyr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crackpot .
A Michael Flynn post isn ’ t strictly about Covid-19 , except that it is .
It is part of President Trump ’ s scattershot efforts to distract from any discussion of his non-existent pandemic response — and has the added significance of being part of Trump ’ s corruption of the Department of Justice .
In any event , proper reading on this subject does not concern the in ’ s and out ’ s of the legal arguments , but rather is best summed up by Paul Waldman : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( But this campaign-finance system is rotten ) .
As he has promised from the start , former NYC Mayor ( and frmr .
presidential candidate ) Michael Bloomberg is signaling some major financial support for the Biden campaign — perhaps a quarter billion or more of such support : Though it ’ s unclear how much Bloomberg will eventually spend , some of the people familiar with the matter noted that they anticipate Bloomberg to end up spending in excess of $ 250 million to support Biden , the apparent Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg backing Biden does not include what he could put toward assisting congressional Democrats .
After dropping out of the Democratic primary for president in March , Bloomberg endorsed Biden and later announced his campaign would transfer $ 18 million to the DNC .
.
.
.
The former New York mayor has previously said he would not rule out spending up to $ 1 billion against Trump , whether he was running for president or not .
Trump ’ s campaign manager , Brad Parscale , has said they plan to spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and getting him reelected .
We don ’ t have a president or a plan .
For those who have missed it , Ezra Klein ’ s recent piece is required reading : For those inclined to history : Andrew Sullivan writes about “ The Very First Pandemic Blogger ” — Samuel Pepys ( pronounced Peeps ) , who was “ a man about town in the London of the late 17th century ” and kept a journal during the 1665 plague .
Friday Night Misconduct Dump .
As reported by CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general : This is a collection of blatant wrongdoing .
Let ’ s all keep informed and defeat the willfully ignorant..

“The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN)
is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!”
Donald Trump, February 17, 2017
It has been a while (a few years) since I have posted a last Dispatch. I thought though with most (sane) people finding themselves at home it may be a good time to restart the thread, with a particular focus on Covid-19 issues. The effort, as always, is to periodically highlight smart pieces that you might have been missed and otherwise merit further discussion. (Please feel free to suggest additional articles/columns in the comments below or by Kosmail.). Here we go:
* * * * *
The depths of unemployment associated with this pandemic can be hard to truly grasp. So this terrifying animated graph of the joblessness numbers is required viewing for any person looking to be reasonably informed. (Also ….. Holy Shit!)
* * * * *
Will universities ever be the same? The Coronavirus pandemic has had a particularly strong impact on a certain institution and life experience — the college experience — and it is not clear whether universities and colleges will ever (or should) return to normal. If not, this will entail a significant change for American culture. In “The Coming Disruption,” Scott Galloway predicts that “a handful of elite cyborg universities will soon monopolize higher education,” as well as a number of other interesting insights:
There’s a recognition that education — the value, the price, the product — has fundamentally shifted. The value of education has been substantially degraded. There’s the education certification and then there’s the experience part of college. The experience part of it is down to zero, and the education part has been dramatically reduced. You get a degree that, over time, will be reduced in value as we realize it’s not the same to be a graduate of a liberal-arts college if you never went to campus. You can see already how students and their parents are responding. At universities, we’re having constant meetings, and we’ve all adopted this narrative of “This is unprecedented, and we’re in this together,” which is Latin for “We’re not lowering our prices, bitches.” Universities are still in a period of consensual hallucination [emphasis added] with each saying, “We’re going to maintain these prices for what has become, overnight, a dramatically less compelling product offering.” In fact, the coronavirus is forcing people to take a hard look at that $51,000 tuition they’re spending.
The entire article is worth a full read, and it does not paint a rosy picture:
It will be like department stores in 2018. Everyone will recognize they’re going out of business, but it will take longer than people think. There will be a lot of zombie universities. Alumni will step in to help. They’ll cut costs to figure out how to stay alive, but they’ll effectively be the walking dead. I don’t think you’re going to see massive shutdowns, but there’s going to be a strain on tier-two colleges. There will be a dip, the mother of all V’s, among the top-50 universities, where the revenues are hit in the short run and then technology will expand their enrollments and they will come back stronger. In ten years, it’s feasible to think that MIT doesn’t welcome 1,000 freshmen to campus; it welcomes 10,000. What that means is the top-20 universities globally are going to become even stronger. What it also means is that universities Nos. 20 to 50 are fine. But Nos. 50 to 1,000 go out of business or become a shadow of themselves. I don’t want to say that education is going to be reinvented, but it’s going to be dramatically different.
Both the immediate and long-term future of getting a college degree is greatly complicated and uncertain these days. Please comment below if you have any strong thoughts on this.
* * * * *
Google and Apple may be balking at contact tracing software. Are they right? While many of us lament the lack of a plan to “test and trace” to combat Covid-19, that program — when fully explained — does require a fairly intrusive, “Orwellian” program that would use our cell phones to record, and then use, location data to identify everyone whom an infected person came near — and then advise those people to self-quarantine. So, under an ideal version of this program, if you were in a McDonalds in NYC at the same time as someone (entirely unrelated) infected with Covid-19, the “twinning” cell phone data would reveal that interaction, and you would be notified to get testing and/or stay home yourself for two weeks (or so). It is an effective concept, but requires a massive amount of privacy violations and disclosure of personal date.
And the recent news is that Google and Apple are not on board with that:
Apple and Google’s announcement last month of a joint effort to track the coronavirus by smartphone sparked a wave of excitement among public health officials hoping the technology would help alert them to potential new infections and map the pandemic’s spread. But as the tech giants have revealed more details, officials now say the software will be of little use. Due to strict rules imposed by the companies, the system will notify smartphone users if they’ve potentially come into contact with an infected person, but it won’t share any data with health officials or reveal where those meetings took place. . . . But Apple and Google have refused, arguing that letting the apps collect location data or loosening other smartphone rules would undermine people’s privacy. The companies are also concerned that easing the restrictions around apps’ Bluetooth use would drain phone battery life, which could irritate customers. That unbending stance has led some health authorities to abandon hopes of building a fully functioning contact-tracing app.
To me, this is not such an easy question. It’s another issue that I would love to hear other’s thoughts in the comments.
* * * * *
Keep your eye on the big picture. In “The Dawn of the BlackRock Era,” Alexander Sammon of The American Prospect explains how “the world’s largest asset manager is poised for overwhelming influence no matter who wins the next presidential election.”
BlackRock is the world’s biggest asset manager, handling $7.4 trillion in customer assets. It’s twice as profitable as Goldman. It’s got offices in 30 countries and clients in a hundred. The company’s Aladdin risk-management system, an industry-standard software tool that monitors trading, watches over another $20 trillion in assets for 200 other financial firms, as well as the Federal Reserve and European central banks. This makes BlackRock part money manager, part institutional investor, part software platform, and part government partner. It’s a pioneer in junk bonds, and has often been referred to as the world’s largest shadow bank. In March, the Federal Reserve announced that it had tapped BlackRock to serve as an investment adviser and asset manager for multiple debt-buying programs on behalf of the U.S. central bank as part of the CARES Act bailout program, a money pot worth hundreds of billions of dollars. With BlackRock’s advisement, the Fed committed to buying unlimited purchases of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities, as well as buying agency commercial mortgage-backed securities. Of course, that decision put BlackRock on both sides of a multitrillion-dollar bailout windfall: As Bloomberg reported, “Under the arrangement [BlackRock] could buy some of its own funds on behalf of the central bank.”
Read the full piece, or else you won’t know what is really happening. As the author notes, this is a reprise of Goldman Sachs and the 2008 crisis — only on a much, much larger scale.
* * * * *
Michael Flynn isn’t a martyr. He is a crook and a crackpot. A Michael Flynn post isn’t strictly about Covid-19, except that it is. It is part of President Trump’s scattershot efforts to distract from any discussion of his non-existent pandemic response — and has the added significance of being part of Trump’s corruption of the Department of Justice. In any event, proper reading on this subject does not concern the in’s and out’s of the legal arguments, but rather is best summed up by Paul Waldman:
But Michael Flynn? He’s the one they want to portray as a victim? What’s next — Jeffrey Epstein was framed? Bernie Madoff was a humanitarian? Al Capone was misunderstood? Here’s the truth: Flynn should never have been allowed within 10 miles of the White House. He was a dangerous, dishonest and shady operator who was also kind of a loon. For a moment, it appeared that everyone in the Trump administration realized it, which was why he was booted from his position as national security adviser after only 24 days on the job.
* * * * *
Bloomberg may be going full-in for Biden. (But this campaign-finance system is rotten). As he has promised from the start, former NYC Mayor (and frmr. presidential candidate) Michael Bloomberg is signaling some major financial support for the Biden campaign — perhaps a quarter billion or more of such support:
Though it’s unclear how much Bloomberg will eventually spend, some of the people familiar with the matter noted that they anticipate Bloomberg to end up spending in excess of $250 million to support Biden, the apparent Democratic nominee. Any major financial support from Bloomberg backing Biden does not include what he could put toward assisting congressional Democrats. After dropping out of the Democratic primary for president in March, Bloomberg endorsed Biden and later announced his campaign would transfer $18 million to the DNC. . . . The former New York mayor has previously said he would not rule out spending up to $1 billion against Trump, whether he was running for president or not. Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, has said they plan to spend at least $1 billion defending the president and getting him reelected.
* * * * *
We don’t have a president or a plan. For those who have missed it, Ezra Klein’s recent piece is required reading:
What we want to avoid in the reopening process is creating the conditions that led to us having to stay home in the first place,” writes Caitlin Rivers of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. That was the Trump administration’s job — either they needed to do it or they needed to support and empower the states to do it. They have failed. It is the most profound and complete failure of presidential leadership in modern history.
* * * * *
For those inclined to history: Andrew Sullivan writes about “The Very First Pandemic Blogger” — Samuel Pepys (pronounced Peeps), who was “a man about town in the London of the late 17th century” and kept a journal during the 1665 plague.
* * * * *
Friday Night Misconduct Dump. As reported by CNN, Trump has fired another independent inspector general:
President Donald Trump on Friday fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, the latest in a series of dismissals of independent government watchdogs that have come in the wake of the President's acquittal on articles of impeachment earlier this year. . . . The late-Friday-night announcement mirrors the dismissal of former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson last month and comes as Trump continues his attacks on internal government oversight. The President has shown repeated hostility to any independent oversight from within the government, often targeting officials he sees as holdovers from President Barack Obama's administration or part of the so-called "deep state," which he believes is aligned against him. . . . . A State Department spokesperson confirmed Linick's dismissal and said that Ambassador Stephen Akard, an ally of Vice President Mike Pence, will take on the role. Akard's ties to Pence, which date back to when he worked under then-Indiana Gov. Pence as the head of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, have previously rankled former diplomats who see him as a part of the politicization of the State Department.
This is a collection of blatant wrongdoing. Let’s all keep informed and defeat the willfully ignorant..


dailykos--2020-05-17--It’s Time for A Robot Tax

It’s Time for A Robot Tax

It ’ s simple ; the robot that replaces every worker or reduces their pay , will be taxed .
Taxing robots sounds unnatural , almost sci-fi like .
While I use “ robots ’ to personalize automation , the reality is that workers , human beings , are being replaced by automation , often in the form of robotic functions in our major industries .
The coronavirus pandemic will push the automation of work into hyperdrive as a huge section of our employment force is laid off .
As of May 7 , 2020 , over 33 million workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a labor force of 165 million that peaked in February 2020 .
The number of unemployed with no benefits will also go higher as federal aid is reduced because many will no longer be eligible .
In 2016 there were about 26 million were nonfarm ( unincorporated ) sole proprietorships , with an estimated three-quarters of them with no employees .
Many of these people had not been eligible for unemployment insurance .
Because of congress ’ s Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act ( CARES Act ) self-employed workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collect unemployment benefits .
Those benefits will stop long before the pandemic does if the Republicans control either chamber of Congress in 2021 .
In the push to restart our economy , Republicans are resisting any continuation of funding for these workers .
Companies are also facing more employees , particularly those represented by unions , requesting a safe work environment requiring protective measures like safe distancing .
Meat packing plants are just the most publicized example of this tension .
Robots do not need safe distancing , nor do they organize for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s long term impact will be an additional new incentive to automate work production and services .
Business leaders have recognized the displacement of human labor by robotics for some time .
Tesla co-founder and SpaceX founder Elon Musk told the World Government Summit in Dubai in 2017 , “ There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot can not do better ( than a human ) .
These are not things that I wish will happen .
These are simply things that I think probably will happen.
” To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tax on robots .
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told online publication Quartz , that if a robot replaces a human worker , there should be a tax on robotics to offset automation ’ s societal effect .
Gates said that replacing human labor with machines can have a positive impact if it frees up people to use their human empathy and understanding to help the many who need help to survive and enjoy life .
However , the money to allow them to assist the larger community needs to come “ from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor-saving efficiency there ; some can come directly in some kind of robot tax.
” Billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks , Mark Cuban , said that robotics and artificial intelligence “ is going to cause unemployment and we need to prepare for it.
” In response to Gates ’ robot tax suggestion , Cuban tweeted “ There should be a tax and some should be paid in stock of the company.
” Their concerns are backed up by PricewaterhouseCoopers , one of the world ’ s Big Four accounting firms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates 38 % of US jobs could be lost to automation by the early 2030s .
Employees in the industries related to transportation , manufacturing and retail would be the most likely to lose their jobs to robots .
Meanwhile , in response to these concerns , Trump ’ s Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said “ I ’ m not worried at all , ” and added that AI and robotics “ isn ’ t even on their radar screen ” .
However , Business Day columnist Kevin Roose , attending the 1919 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Davos , reported that executives there claimed that if they don ’ t automate jobs as quickly as possible , their competitors will .
A spokesman for Cognizant , a technology services firm , described the conflict that these executives must address .
On one hand they “ absolutely want to automate as much as they can , ” and on the other hand they are “ facing a backlash in civic society.
” To address that backlash , businesses argue that “ workers whose jobs are eliminated by automation can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an organization.
” The unfortunate news for those fired is found in a January 2019 report by the World Economic Forum that estimated that only one in four can be profitably reskilled by private-sector programs .
Only a few politicians have shown interest in a robot tax .
Former San Francisco Board of Supervisor Jane Kim had created a task force to explore an automation tax because income disparity in her district could be attributable to the use of robots .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also advocated for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run .
But such no robot tax has been pushed in Congress .
The huge number of unemployed workers has kicked our economy into the basement .
Consumer demand , which accounts for 70 % of our economy growth , has steeply declined .
The result is a calamitous fall in sales and profits for most businesses , forcing them to lay off employees , which further erodes consumer demand .
If total wages remain depressed , last year ’ s demand will not return for the foreseeable future .
This will compel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their costs .
And , that swings the door wide open to automation , the silent killer of human employment .
Candidate Donald Trump ran on a platform of getting jobs back to those that lost them .
Think of the coal industry .
There were multiple causes for the decline in jobs in coal production , such as the competition from lower-sulfur Wyoming coal , or the production of cheaper natural gas , or world decline in demand for coal .
Trump ignored them and emphasized government regulation while the Democrats focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just talked about getting back jobs , although there are now less coal miner jobs than when he got elected .
Hillary Clinton ’ s approach was more honest , and more tone deaf .
She bluntly said , the nation was going to “ put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.
” Her answer was a $ 30 billion plan to secure their health care and pension benefits , offer tax credits and job training , and economic development .
Long on details , but no punch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs back .
This is why a robot tax carries a better political message .
It ’ s not the usual promise of the government spending more of your money to help the needy .
It ’ s simple ; the robot that replaces every worker or reduces their pay , will be taxed .
Automation does provide benefits : faster service and more production , and lower labor costs .
But the savings are not shared with the employees .
If automation does not produce additional work opportunities at comparable wages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profits increase .
The result is wealth is concentrated among the owners and investors , while those working are cut free to seek lower paying jobs .
A robot tax stops that trend by shifting a portion of business profits to the workers by funding a viable social net to protect their living standards and provide training for new jobs at equal or better wages .
Now is the time for Congress and candidates this November to raise it as a serious attempt to resurrect our economy and save or create jobs for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps for years to come .
Nick Licata served 5 terms on the Seattle City Council , named progressive municipal official of the year by The Nation , and is founding board chair of Local Progress , a national network of 1,000 progressive municipal officials .
Subscribe to Licata ’ s newsletter Urban Politics

It’s simple; the robot that replaces every worker or reduces their pay, will be taxed.
Taxing robots sounds unnatural, almost sci-fi like. While I use “robots’ to personalize automation, the reality is that workers, human beings, are being replaced by automation, often in the form of robotic functions in our major industries.
The coronavirus pandemic will push the automation of work into hyperdrive as a huge section of our employment force is laid off. As of May 7, 2020, over 33 million workers have applied for unemployment benefits out of a labor force of 165 million that peaked in February 2020.
The number of unemployed with no benefits will also go higher as federal aid is reduced because many will no longer be eligible. In 2016 there were about 26 million were nonfarm (unincorporated) sole proprietorships, with an estimated three-quarters of them with no employees. Many of these people had not been eligible for unemployment insurance. Because of congress’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) self-employed workers, including independent contractors, can now collect unemployment benefits.
Those benefits will stop long before the pandemic does if the Republicans control either chamber of Congress in 2021. In the push to restart our economy, Republicans are resisting any continuation of funding for these workers. Companies are also facing more employees, particularly those represented by unions, requesting a safe work environment requiring protective measures like safe distancing. Meat packing plants are just the most publicized example of this tension. Robots do not need safe distancing, nor do they organize for a safe work environment.
The pandemic’s long term impact will be an additional new incentive to automate work production and services. Business leaders have recognized the displacement of human labor by robotics for some time. Tesla co-founder and SpaceX founder Elon Musk told the World Government Summit in Dubai in 2017, “There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cannot do better (than a human). These are not things that I wish will happen. These are simply things that I think probably will happen.” To mitigate this trend other billionaires are promoting a tax on robots.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told online publication Quartz, that if a robot replaces a human worker, there should be a tax on robotics to offset automation’s societal effect. Gates said that replacing human labor with machines can have a positive impact if it frees up people to use their human empathy and understanding to help the many who need help to survive and enjoy life. However, the money to allow them to assist the larger community needs to come “from the profits that are generated by the labor-saving efficiency there; some can come directly in some kind of robot tax.”
Billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, said that robotics and artificial intelligence “is going to cause unemployment and we need to prepare for it.” In response to Gates’ robot tax suggestion, Cuban tweeted “There should be a tax and some should be paid in stock of the company.”
Their concerns are backed up by PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the world’s Big Four accounting firms, which released a study in 2017 that estimates 38% of US jobs could be lost to automation by the early 2030s. Employees in the industries related to transportation, manufacturing and retail would be the most likely to lose their jobs to robots. Meanwhile, in response to these concerns, Trump’s Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said “I’m not worried at all,” and added that AI and robotics “isn’t even on their radar screen”.
However, Business Day columnist Kevin Roose, attending the 1919 World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, reported that executives there claimed that if they don’t automate jobs as quickly as possible, their competitors will. A spokesman for Cognizant, a technology services firm, described the conflict that these executives must address. On one hand they “absolutely want to automate as much as they can,” and on the other hand they are “facing a backlash in civic society.”
To address that backlash, businesses argue that “workers whose jobs are eliminated by automation can be “reskilled” to perform other jobs in an organization.” The unfortunate news for those fired is found in a January 2019 report by the World Economic Forum that estimated that only one in four can be profitably reskilled by private-sector programs.
Only a few politicians have shown interest in a robot tax. Former San Francisco Board of Supervisor Jane Kim had created a task force to explore an automation tax because income disparity in her district could be attributable to the use of robots. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also advocated for a robot tax during and after his presidential run. But such no robot tax has been pushed in Congress.
The huge number of unemployed workers has kicked our economy into the basement. Consumer demand, which accounts for 70% of our economy growth, has steeply declined. The result is a calamitous fall in sales and profits for most businesses, forcing them to lay off employees, which further erodes consumer demand. If total wages remain depressed, last year’s demand will not return for the foreseeable future. This will compel businesses to search for ways to reduce their costs. And, that swings the door wide open to automation, the silent killer of human employment.
Candidate Donald Trump ran on a platform of getting jobs back to those that lost them. Think of the coal industry. There were multiple causes for the decline in jobs in coal production, such as the competition from lower-sulfur Wyoming coal, or the production of cheaper natural gas, or world decline in demand for coal. Trump ignored them and emphasized government regulation while the Democrats focused on automation as the cause.
Trump just talked about getting back jobs, although there are now less coal miner jobs than when he got elected. Hillary Clinton’s approach was more honest, and more tone deaf. She bluntly said, the nation was going to “put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.” Her answer was a $30 billion plan to secure their health care and pension benefits, offer tax credits and job training, and economic development. Long on details, but no punch line: I’ll get the jobs back.
This is why a robot tax carries a better political message. It’s not the usual promise of the government spending more of your money to help the needy. It’s simple; the robot that replaces every worker or reduces their pay, will be taxed. Automation does provide benefits: faster service and more production, and lower labor costs. But the savings are not shared with the employees. If automation does not produce additional work opportunities at comparable wages, then the consumer market shrinks, while profits increase. The result is wealth is concentrated among the owners and investors, while those working are cut free to seek lower paying jobs.
A robot tax stops that trend by shifting a portion of business profits to the workers by funding a viable social net to protect their living standards and provide training for new jobs at equal or better wages. Now is the time for Congress and candidates this November to raise it as a serious attempt to resurrect our economy and save or create jobs for the millions who are unemployed now and perhaps for years to come.
Nick Licata served 5 terms on the Seattle City Council, named progressive municipal official of the year by The Nation, and is founding board chair of Local Progress, a national network of 1,000 progressive municipal officials.
Subscribe to Licata’s newsletter Urban Politics


dailykos--2020-05-17--Good News Roundup, Bonus Birthday Edition

As the first additional writer of the Good News Roundup , and now writer emerita , I thought I would celebrate our third birthday by writing a bonus edition .
After all , we all need as much good news as we can handle .
And there ’ s plenty of it ( I made sure not to repeat stories found elsewhere in the GNR this week ) !
On to the news , and let ’ s start off with some music : The Philippsburg plant in southwest Germany with 150-meter long towers was brought down at 6 am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nuclear reactor , with three beeps an explosion was set off , and the towers were brought down signifying the collapse of an outdated energy source .
A large solar energy project in Nevada that is expected to generate enough electricity to power 260,000 homes has been green-lit by the federal government .
In an online project specification , officials confirmed that the authorized solar facilities included a 380 MW solar-powered battery system that will be able to store and deploy over 1,400 megawatt hours , which `` can be used when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A simple technique to “ illuminate the exits ” in trawl fishing nets can almost halve the numbers of unwanted catch , new research has found , potentially protecting both the environment and fishermen ’ s livelihoods .
Attaching LED lights to larger holes in nets , intended to allow non-target species to escape , dramatically reduced the numbers killed unnecessarily , a team from Bangor University found .
Blue bee thought extinct is still around : An extremely rare blue bee that was last seen four years ago has been rediscovered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Natural History .
The metallic navy insect , a blue calamintha bee , had only been previously found in four areas “ totaling just 16 square miles of pine scrub habitat at Central Florida ’ s Lake Wales Ridge , ” the Florida Museum said in a news release .
Democrats glimpsing a chance to oust Senator Lindsey Graham have launched a new super PAC focused on attacking the South Carolina Republican as he campaigns for reelection in the fall .
The new PAC , “ Lindsey Must Go , ” says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in commitments and aims to raise $ 4 million or more from large and small donors , according to Politico .
The U.S. government has a $ 3 trillion bulge of debt coming through the pipeline because of the coronavirus pandemic .
It also has perhaps 30 million or more freshly unemployed Americans to support , tens of thousands of businesses on the ropes , and a possibly extended battle with a virulent disease to underwrite .
Given the choice between leaving the economy without a lifeline and making that debt load @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Powell on Wednesday sent a not-so-subtle message to U.S. elected officials : Spend whatever you need in this crisis .
The top Navy officer has recommended the reinstatement of the aircraft carrier captain fired for sending a fraught email to commanders pleading for faster action to protect his crew from a coronavirus outbreak , officials familiar with the investigation said Friday .
Adm. Mike Gilday recommended that Navy Capt .
Brett Crozier be returned to his ship , said the officials , who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the results of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made public .
Next time you fret about sanitising your desk or kitchen counter because of the coronavirus , spare a thought for the workers whose task on Friday was to wipe down St. Peter 's Basilica .
About a dozen , covered head-to-toe in protective gear , sprayed , sprinkled and swept as they disinfected the largest church in Christendom in preparation for its full reopening , expected soon .
Standing at the base of the massive columns , they resembled white ants as they cleaned the floor , with a surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 160,000 square feet ) , as well as railings and statues close to floor level .
After Crocs successfully launched its `` free pair for healthcare '' initiative in March , the brand is generously taking its donations a step further .
On Friday , May 15 , the company is transitioning into its `` Pairs That Care '' phase , which allows `` servers , line cooks , grocery store attendants , delivery drivers , retail employees , and anyone else that has been significantly affected by the [ COVID-19 ] crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via the website at 12 p.m .
ET .
Crocs will continue to grant donations until the day 's fulfillment has been allotted and kindly asks people to take advantage if they are in need of shoes that are easy to clean for their line of work or unsure where their next paycheck is coming from .
In an analysis of data generated from a study involving more than 3,000 children , a University of Queensland team investigated the associations between informal home music education for very young children and later cognitive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informal music-making in the home from around the ages of two and three can lead to better literacy , numeracy , social skills , and attention and emotion regulation by the age of five .
By measuring the impact of music and reading both separately and in combined samples , the researchers were able to identify benefits from informal music activity over and above shared book reading , most strongly in relation to positive social behaviour , attention regulation and to a lesser but still significant extent , numeracy .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our group , and stay safe and healthy !

As the first additional writer of the Good News Roundup, and now writer emerita, I thought I would celebrate our third birthday by writing a bonus edition. After all, we all need as much good news as we can handle. And there’s plenty of it (I made sure not to repeat stories found elsewhere in the GNR this week)!
On to the news, and let’s start off with some music:
Environment
Pearl Jam teams up with Greta Thunberg
Germany demolishes nuclear towers:
The Philippsburg plant in southwest Germany with 150-meter long towers was brought down at 6 am on Wednesday morning. It was earlier a nuclear reactor, with three beeps an explosion was set off, and the towers were brought down signifying the collapse of an outdated energy source.
US approves massive solar installation:
A large solar energy project in Nevada that is expected to generate enough electricity to power 260,000 homes has been green-lit by the federal government. [...] In an online project specification, officials confirmed that the authorized solar facilities included a 380 MW solar-powered battery system that will be able to store and deploy over 1,400 megawatt hours, which "can be used when the power is needed most."
LED lights preserve fish: A simple technique to “illuminate the exits” in trawl fishing nets can almost halve the numbers of unwanted catch, new research has found, potentially protecting both the environment and fishermen’s livelihoods. Attaching LED lights to larger holes in nets, intended to allow non-target species to escape, dramatically reduced the numbers killed unnecessarily, a team from Bangor University found. Blue bee thought extinct is still around: An extremely rare blue bee that was last seen four years ago has been rediscovered by a researcher at the Florida Museum of Natural History. The metallic navy insect, a blue calamintha bee, had only been previously found in four areas “totaling just 16 square miles of pine scrub habitat at Central Florida’s Lake Wales Ridge,” the Florida Museum said in a news release. Politics
Dems seek to oust Graham:
Democrats glimpsing a chance to oust Senator Lindsey Graham have launched a new super PAC focused on attacking the South Carolina Republican as he campaigns for reelection in the fall. The new PAC, “Lindsey Must Go,” says it has already garnered more than $1 million in commitments and aims to raise $4 million or more from large and small donors, according to Politico.
Burr asks for Russia report declassification:
In a final act before stepping down as chairman, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., has asked the Trump administration to quickly declassify the last portion of the Senate Intelligence Committee's bipartisan report on Russian election interference, a 1,000-page volume on the committee's "counterintelligence findings."
Fed chief goes Keynesian:
The U.S. government has a $3 trillion bulge of debt coming through the pipeline because of the coronavirus pandemic. It also has perhaps 30 million or more freshly unemployed Americans to support, tens of thousands of businesses on the ropes, and a possibly extended battle with a virulent disease to underwrite. Given the choice between leaving the economy without a lifeline and making that debt load even bigger, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday sent a not-so-subtle message to U.S. elected officials: Spend whatever you need in this crisis.
Captain Crozier recommended for reinstatement:
The top Navy officer has recommended the reinstatement of the aircraft carrier captain fired for sending a fraught email to commanders pleading for faster action to protect his crew from a coronavirus outbreak, officials familiar with the investigation said Friday. Adm. Mike Gilday recommended that Navy Capt. Brett Crozier be returned to his ship, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the results of an investigation that have not yet been made public.
Pandemic
Workers scrub St. Peters:
Next time you fret about sanitising your desk or kitchen counter because of the coronavirus, spare a thought for the workers whose task on Friday was to wipe down St. Peter's Basilica. About a dozen, covered head-to-toe in protective gear, sprayed, sprinkled and swept as they disinfected the largest church in Christendom in preparation for its full reopening, expected soon. Standing at the base of the massive columns, they resembled white ants as they cleaned the floor, with a surface of more than 15,000 square metres (160,000 square feet), as well as railings and statues close to floor level.
Slovenia outbreak over:
Crocs donates shoes:
After Crocs successfully launched its "free pair for healthcare" initiative in March, the brand is generously taking its donations a step further. On Friday, May 15, the company is transitioning into its "Pairs That Care" phase, which allows "servers, line cooks, grocery store attendants, delivery drivers, retail employees, and anyone else that has been significantly affected by the [COVID-19] crisis" to sign up for free shoes via the website at 12 p.m. ET. Crocs will continue to grant donations until the day's fulfillment has been allotted and kindly asks people to take advantage if they are in need of shoes that are easy to clean for their line of work or unsure where their next paycheck is coming from.
Science
Make music with your toddlers:
In an analysis of data generated from a study involving more than 3,000 children, a University of Queensland team investigated the associations between informal home music education for very young children and later cognitive and social-emotional outcomes. The team found that informal music-making in the home from around the ages of two and three can lead to better literacy, numeracy, social skills, and attention and emotion regulation by the age of five. By measuring the impact of music and reading both separately and in combined samples, the researchers were able to identify benefits from informal music activity over and above shared book reading, most strongly in relation to positive social behaviour, attention regulation and to a lesser but still significant extent, numeracy.
Scientists draw letters on blind people’s brains:
Scientists sent patterns of electricity coursing across people’s brains, coaxing their brains to see letters that weren’t there. The experiment worked in both sighted people and blind participants who had lost their sight in adulthood, according to the study, published today (May 14) in the journal Cell. Although this technology remains in its early days, implanted devices could potentially be used in the future to stimulate the brain and somewhat restore people’s vision.
That’s it for today. Happy birthday to our group, and stay safe and healthy!


dailykos--2020-05-18--Paul Waldman states the obvious:  Trump isn't doing anything to address the economic crisis either

Every president in the modern era ( except perhaps Hoover , if he counts ) would be asking for something to address this near depression .
Put aside health policy .
Trump isn ’ t proposing a single thing for the economy .
People don ’ t even think that a presidency exists anymore - the question is what Pelosi and McConnell will do .
It 's an amazing accomplishment .
Imagine a President whose every public utterance consisted of “ All I can say is that we must defeat Climate Change now , ” and no one asked “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is your Climate Change policy ?
” ( And imagine that in a campaign year . )
I ’ m largely content for now to let this particular omission play out because I think it is better to hold Trump ’ s feet to the fire on health policy and he only raises the economy to distract from his Covid failures .
But it is still remarkable .
And I also see the press continues to navel-gaze about what they get wrong .
How about just writing : “ Day X and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either the pandemic or the economic recovery.
” It is not hard .

Every president in the modern era (except perhaps Hoover, if he counts) would be asking for something to address this near depression. Put aside health policy. Trump isn’t proposing a single thing for the economy. People don’t even think that a presidency exists anymore - the question is what Pelosi and McConnell will do.
.
It's an amazing accomplishment. Imagine a President whose every public utterance consisted of “All I can say is that we must defeat Climate Change now,” and no one asked “So what is your plan? What is your Climate Change policy?” (And imagine that in a campaign year.)
.
I’m largely content for now to let this particular omission play out because I think it is better to hold Trump’s feet to the fire on health policy and he only raises the economy to distract from his Covid failures.
.
But it is still remarkable. And I also see the press continues to navel-gaze about what they get wrong. How about just writing: “Day X and the Trump administration still has no plan for either the pandemic or the economic recovery.” It is not hard.


dailykos--2020-05-18--Want to win close elections in 2020 and beyond? Organize and invest in Native voters

In 2004 , then-Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle received record support from Native communities in South Dakota .
Two years later , Native voters pushed Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester to a close victory , with members of the Blackfeet , Cheyenne , Fort Belknap and Tribal nations choosing him in large numbers .
Former Minnesota U.S. Sen. Al Franken spent his last campaign weekends on several Minnesota reservations at the suggestion of now-Lt. Gov .
Peggy Flanagan ( Anishinaabe ) , who served as a liaison to the state ’ s tribes for his campaign .
Referring to Franken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent Sen .
Norm Coleman , she said , “ I ’ ll tell Al those 312 people are Native American.
” In 2010 , Alaska ’ s Lisa Murkowski triumphed as a write-in U.S. Senate candidate thanks to the Alaskan Native vote .
Get-out-the-vote efforts targeting Native communities helped lift North Dakota U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester to victory in 2012 .
Ballot measures raising Alaska and South Dakota ’ s minimum wage were passed with the support of Native voters .
In 2016 , increased polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state elect the first Latina U.S. senator , Catherine Cortez Masto .
The power of Native voters extends to getting our own people elected too : The 2018 midterms brought Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Sharice Davids of Kansas to Congress , and Flanagan became the highest-ranking elected executive Native American woman in the history of the U.S. Last fall , I attended the First Nations Voting Rights Conference , sponsored by the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission , Rural Utah Project , and others .
There , I met Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We shared different strategies for the upcoming elections and examined the challenges that will impact voters living on reservations .
Among those challenges is redistricting , which reallocates congressional seats and state legislative seats based on population and partisan political shifts .
Navajo voters living in San Juan County , Utah , only recently have been granted the opportunity to have fuller representation on their county commission because of a successful lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering .
The residents were able to elect two of three county commissioners who are enrolled tribal members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in this district about the legitimacy of their ideas .
Redistricting and voter suppression that disenfranchise and dilute the power of voters from communities of color mean that every vote matters even more .
So , despite the small size of many Native nations when compared to the overall population—which make up 2 % of the U.S. population—we have to pay attention to their votes , particularly in states that have close Senate races .
Among these states with the highest Native populations , seven of the senators from Alaska , Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , South Dakota , and Washington requested to serve on the Committee for Indian Affairs .
This is significant because political parties are recognizing the power of the Native vote either by working with Native voters , or—if they see Native voters as a threat to their hold on power—finding ways to dilute their impact with the introduction of voter ID requirements in states such as North Dakota .
There are seven key swing states that are needed for Democrats to win the presidency and the U.S. Senate in 2020 , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , North Carolina , Colorado , and Wisconsin .
In each of those states , the margin of victory in the 2016 presidential election was within 1-2 % —close enough for the current Native American voting population to make all the difference .
Take a look at the numbers : • Arizona : The margin of victory was 84,904 votes .
There are 309,000 Native Americans eligible to vote .
• Colorado : The margin of victory was 71,741 votes .
There are 112,000 Native Americans eligible to vote .
• Michigan : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are approximately 146,000 Native Americans in the state .
* • Minnesota : The margin of victory was 43,785 votes .
There are 78,000 Native Americans eligible to vote .
• Nevada : The margin of victory was 26,434 votes .
There are 60,000 Native Americans eligible to vote .
• North Carolina : The margin of victory was 177,529 votes .
There are approximately 205,000 Native Americans in the state .
* • Wisconsin : The margin of victory was 27,257 votes .
There are 90,000 Native Americans in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical in races with these razor-thin margins .
Imagine if a presidential campaign was to invest in Native turnout in any of these states .
The future of our democracy might look very different .
Kevin Killer is the co-founder of Advanced Native Political Leadership , a former member of the South Dakota state legislature , and a senior fellow at Prism .
Follow him on Twitter @ kevinck04 .
Prism is a nonprofit affiliate of Daily Kos .
Our mission is to make visible the people , places and issues currently underrepresented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voices and leadership of people closest to the problems , Prism tells the stories no one else is telling .
Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .

The first political campaign I volunteered for was the 2002 race of former South Dakota Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson. Seeing the potential of our own communities to be able to determine their own political future, I wanted to help any way I could. That election underscored just how significant the Native vote can be. With most of the reservation voters in South Dakota choosing Johnson, he won by a mere 528 votes.
When Native communities go to the ballot box, we can make a difference in local, state, and national politics. Recent history shows this and makes a compelling argument for political investment in organizing Native communities for the upcoming 2020 election and beyond.
In 2004, then-Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle received record support from Native communities in South Dakota. Two years later, Native voters pushed Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester to a close victory, with members of the Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Fort Belknap and Tribal nations choosing him in large numbers. Former Minnesota U.S. Sen. Al Franken spent his last campaign weekends on several Minnesota reservations at the suggestion of now-Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (Anishinaabe), who served as a liaison to the state’s tribes for his campaign. Referring to Franken’s slim 312-vote win over incumbent opponent Sen. Norm Coleman, she said, “I’ll tell Al those 312 people are Native American.”
In 2010, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski triumphed as a write-in U.S. Senate candidate thanks to the Alaskan Native vote. Get-out-the-vote efforts targeting Native communities helped lift North Dakota U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester to victory in 2012. Ballot measures raising Alaska and South Dakota’s minimum wage were passed with the support of Native voters. In 2016, increased polling sites within Nevada tribal nations helped the state elect the first Latina U.S. senator, Catherine Cortez Masto. The power of Native voters extends to getting our own people elected too: The 2018 midterms brought Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Sharice Davids of Kansas to Congress, and Flanagan became the highest-ranking elected executive Native American woman in the history of the U.S.
Last fall, I attended the First Nations Voting Rights Conference, sponsored by the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission, Rural Utah Project, and others. There, I met Native voting rights advocates from around the nation. We shared different strategies for the upcoming elections and examined the challenges that will impact voters living on reservations. Among those challenges is redistricting, which reallocates congressional seats and state legislative seats based on population and partisan political shifts. Navajo voters living in San Juan County, Utah, only recently have been granted the opportunity to have fuller representation on their county commission because of a successful lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering. The residents were able to elect two of three county commissioners who are enrolled tribal members but are still facing challenges from non-Natives living in this district about the legitimacy of their ideas.
Redistricting and voter suppression that disenfranchise and dilute the power of voters from communities of color mean that every vote matters even more. So, despite the small size of many Native nations when compared to the overall population—which make up 2% of the U.S. population—we have to pay attention to their votes, particularly in states that have close Senate races. Among these states with the highest Native populations, seven of the senators from Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington requested to serve on the Committee for Indian Affairs. This is significant because political parties are recognizing the power of the Native vote either by working with Native voters, or—if they see Native voters as a threat to their hold on power—finding ways to dilute their impact with the introduction of voter ID requirements in states such as North Dakota.
There are seven key swing states that are needed for Democrats to win the presidency and the U.S. Senate in 2020, including Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Colorado, and Wisconsin. In each of those states, the margin of victory in the 2016 presidential election was within 1-2%—close enough for the current Native American voting population to make all the difference. Take a look at the numbers:
Arizona : The margin of victory was 84,904 votes. There are 309,000 Native Americans eligible to vote.
Colorado: The margin of victory was 71,741 votes. There are 112,000 Native Americans eligible to vote.
Michigan: The margin of victory was 11,612 votes. There are approximately 146,000 Native Americans in the state.*
Minnesota: The margin of victory was 43,785 votes. There are 78,000 Native Americans eligible to vote.
Nevada: The margin of victory was 26,434 votes. There are 60,000 Native Americans eligible to vote.
North Carolina: The margin of victory was 177,529 votes. There are approximately 205,000 Native Americans in the state.*
Wisconsin: The margin of victory was 27,257 votes. There are 90,000 Native Americans in the state.*
(*Data specific to the population of eligible Native American voters was unavailable.)
Native communities can be critical in races with these razor-thin margins. Imagine if a presidential campaign was to invest in Native turnout in any of these states. The future of our democracy might look very different.
Kevin Killer is the co-founder of Advanced Native Political Leadership, a former member of the South Dakota state legislature, and a senior fellow at Prism. Follow him on Twitter @kevinck04.
Prism is a BIPOC-led nonprofit news outlet that centers the people, places and issues currently underreported by our national media. Through our original reporting, analysis, and commentary, we challenge dominant, toxic narratives perpetuated by the mainstream press and work to build a full and accurate record of what’s happening in our democracy. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.


dailykos--2020-05-17--Organic Racism VS Modified Euphemism.

Organic Racism VS Modified Euphemism.

Prior to using the word conservative from a political perspective , the word essential meant , a man without change .
The original conservative party member from its origins in the UK parliamentary system , consisted of all white non catholic males .
A man that had no interest in progress , if it meant any rights were to be given to women , people of colour and those who were not proponents of Anglicanism .
Post abolition of slavery in the British Isles , the conservative supreme objective was in fact racial superiority .
Which was not unlike other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that needs to be asked of any conservative , especially African American Tim Scott ( R ) is , what is it that you desire to conserve ?
Amongst the various terms used in place of the word racist are ; “ Neo-Conservative ” , ” Far right ” , Right wing , “ Alt right , ” “ Militia ” , “ Evangelical , ” “ Republican , ” “ Nationalist , ” “ Nativist ” , ” Nazi , ” “ Neo- nazi , ” “ Extreme christian right ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those terms exist , the corporate media will continue to utilize them as euphemisms instead of the word racist .
To detect a euphemism , change the word with the softer expression and replace it with racist , racism .
If the context of the material does not change and remains grammatically correct you have a euphemism .
I randomly selected a N.Y. Times article excerpt about the very influential David Koch .
There is no doubt David Koch was a racist .
I am not suggesting the author of the article considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examining the writer ’ s choice of words .
At this time euphemisms are ubiquitous .
No matter what the N.Y .Times author thinks of Koch .
His use of the term ‘ right wing ’ instead of racist is consistent as a euphemism .
“ David H Koch , an industrialist who amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune with his brother Charles and then joined him pouring their riches into a powerful right-wing libertarian movement , that helped reshape American politics , died on Friday at his home in Southampton , N.Y .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article by Robert D. Mcfaden .
Now read it without the word right-wing .
David H Koch , an industrialist who amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune with his brother Charles and then joined him pouring their riches into a powerful ( racist ) libertarian movement , that helped reshape American politics , died on Friday at his home in Southampton , N.Y .
He was 79 .
I added the word racist in brackets linking the the softer euphemism term right-wing with the more direct word racist .
The context and grammar does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regarding the Koch brothers , the steady diet of euphemistic descriptors are a requisite when discussing their type of politics .
Or you can read the articles describing the armed racists that descended onto the Michigan state legislature in April 2020 .
My personal favorite from AP “ Michigan militia puts armed protest in the spotlight.
” Remove militia replace it with racist .
Michigan ( racists ) puts armed protest in the spotlight .
If you doubt the word militia , in this context , is a euphemism for racist , Governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst racism and awful parts of our history.
” Strong , straight forward words that accurately described what people saw and heard .
July 2019 , the racist President tweeted that four congresswomen of color should go back to where you come from .
Every normal human being , with an understanding of the context , identified the racism expressed within the tweet .
On the floor of congress the Speaker of the House , Nancy Pelosi stated the remarks were “ racist.
” No euphemism needed .
What is laughable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House rules .
Members can not call a Senator , Member , or a blatantly racist president , “ A Racist.
” The rule states this is an attack on the character of the individual .
Ironically if a euphemism such as the President 's language was ” Provocative , ” “ Toxic , ” “ Colorful , ” “ Off-the-cuff , ” were used there would not have been any infractions of rules of decorum .
This current episode of the President saying racist things scared Emanuel Cleaver ( D ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanction Trump .
Mr Cleaver , a pastor and a black member of congress , stated he was embarrassed with the fact that members of his own party stated Trump ’ s comments were ” Racist.
” Pastor Cleaver , in the middle of the debate stated he was embarrassed .
He banged the gavel before the debate and votes were counted to resolve the resolution the President ’ s comments were racist .
Mr. Cleaver then exited stage right .
I ’ m not certain why brother Cleaver ran away despite his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t want to participate in the vote itself , as it might play badly in his Missouri district and beyond .
I ’ m sure he would have stuck around if the word racist was not part of the resolution .
Shortly thereafter Mr. Cleaver went on CNN with Alisyn Camerota and repeated how embarrassed he was , while at the same time explaining how much of a fine gentleman Doug Collins ( R ) is .
Where did that come from ?
Black sheep ?
Cleaver could not bring himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President said something racist .
Instead he used words as the President said something “ unbelievable.
” He also stated the President ’ s words were “ toxic.
” Both words euphemisms for racist .
Maybe I ’ m wrong and Mr.Cleaver exited stage right on the day of the vote due to an attack of dysuria.From my vantage point he seemed to be wetting his pants .
But I ’ m not his doctor.CNN ; Emanuel Cleaver What is clear Mr. Cleaver bailed out on the vote .
Symbolically denouncing the debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto television spewing euphemisms rather than the truth that the President ’ s words were racist .
The corporate media will continue to provide cover for “ Racist , actions , words , policies and groups.
” CNN ; Emanuel Cleaver This is methodically done to confuse people and espouse propaganda .
It will continue to make people doubt what they are actually seeing or hearing .
Words , phraseology do matter .
When you hear or see the word racist we should be repulsed .
However euphemisms creates ambivalence .
If a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current President said something overtly racist as “ go back to your country.
” The corporate media will succeed in making the word racist obsolete .

Euphemisms: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referencing to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
What are they good for? Absolutely nothing!
Everyone would agree that a hooded KKK member is a “Salt of the earth organic racist”. However, dress him up in a suit and tie, make him worth a few billions, he is now characterized by the use of modified euphemistic terms. In our current era of unbridled belligerence, the word “Conservative” and “Right wing” are but a few euphemisms for the word racist.
Prior to using the word conservative from a political perspective, the word essential meant , a man without change.
The original conservative party member from its origins in the UK parliamentary system, consisted of all white non catholic males. A man that had no interest in progress, if it meant any rights were to be given to women, people of colour and those who were not proponents of Anglicanism.
Post abolition of slavery in the British Isles, the conservative supreme objective was in fact racial superiority. Which was not unlike other nations that abolished slavery. The question that needs to be asked of any conservative, especially African American Tim Scott (R) is, what is it that you desire to conserve?
Amongst the various terms used in place of the word racist are; “ Neo-Conservative” ,”Far right”, Right wing, “Alt right,” “Militia”, “Evangelical,” “Republican,” “Nationalist,” “Nativist” ,” Nazi,” “ Neo- nazi,” “Extreme christian right” and” Proud boys.” As long as those terms exist, the corporate media will continue to utilize them as euphemisms instead of the word racist.
To detect a euphemism, change the word with the softer expression and replace it with racist, racism. If the context of the material does not change and remains grammatically correct you have a euphemism.
I randomly selected a N.Y. Times article excerpt about the very influential David Koch. There is no doubt David Koch was a racist. I am not suggesting the author of the article considered Koch a racist. I am only examining the writer’s choice of words. At this time euphemisms are ubiquitous. No matter what the N.Y .Times author thinks of Koch. His use of the term ‘right wing’ instead of racist is consistent as a euphemism .
“David H Koch, an industrialist who amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune with his brother Charles and then joined him pouring their riches into a powerful right-wing libertarian movement, that helped reshape American politics, died on Friday at his home in Southampton, N.Y. He was 79. “ AUG/23/2019 NY TIMES article by Robert D. Mcfaden.
Now read it without the word right-wing.
David H Koch, an industrialist who amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune with his brother Charles and then joined him pouring their riches into a powerful (racist) libertarian movement, that helped reshape American politics, died on Friday at his home in Southampton, N.Y. He was 79.
I added the word racist in brackets linking the the softer euphemism term right-wing with the more direct word racist. The context and grammar does not change. You can research any article regarding the Koch brothers, the steady diet of euphemistic descriptors are a requisite when discussing their type of politics.
Or you can read the articles describing the armed racists that descended onto the Michigan state legislature in April 2020. My personal favorite from AP “Michigan militia puts armed protest in the spotlight.” Remove militia replace it with racist. Michigan (racists) puts armed protest in the spotlight.
If you doubt the word militia, in this context, is a euphemism for racist, Governor Whitmer stated, “depicted some of the worst racism and awful parts of our history.” Strong, straight forward words that accurately described what people saw and heard.
July 2019, the racist President tweeted that four congresswomen of color should go back to where you come from. Every normal human being, with an understanding of the context, identified the racism expressed within the tweet.
On the floor of congress the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi stated the remarks were “racist.” No euphemism needed. What is laughable, the speaker’s comments are against House rules. Members can not call a Senator, Member, or a blatantly racist president, “A Racist.” The rule states this is an attack on the character of the individual.
Ironically if a euphemism such as the President's language was”Provocative,” “Toxic,” “Colorful,” “Off-the-cuff,” were used there would not have been any infractions of rules of decorum.
This current episode of the President saying racist things scared Emanuel Cleaver(D). He was presiding over the vote to sanction Trump. Mr Cleaver, a pastor and a black member of congress, stated he was embarrassed with the fact that members of his own party stated Trump’s comments were” Racist.”
Pastor Cleaver, in the middle of the debate stated he was embarrassed. He banged the gavel before the debate and votes were counted to resolve the resolution the President’s comments were racist. Mr. Cleaver then exited stage right.
I’m not certain why brother Cleaver ran away despite his claims of embarrassment. I suspect he didn’t want to participate in the vote itself, as it might play badly in his Missouri district and beyond. I’m sure he would have stuck around if the word racist was not part of the resolution.
Shortly thereafter Mr. Cleaver went on CNN with Alisyn Camerota and repeated how embarrassed he was, while at the same time explaining how much of a fine gentleman Doug Collins(R) is. Where did that come from? Black sheep?
Cleaver could not bring himself to state the obvious that the racist President said something racist. Instead he used words as the President said something “unbelievable.” He also stated the President’s words were “toxic.” Both words euphemisms for racist. Maybe I’m wrong and Mr.Cleaver exited stage right on the day of the vote due to an attack of dysuria.From my vantage point he seemed to be wetting his pants. But I’m not his doctor.CNN;Emanuel Cleaver
What is clear Mr. Cleaver bailed out on the vote. Symbolically denouncing the debate for self preservation. He then went onto television spewing euphemisms rather than the truth that the President’s words were racist.
The corporate media will continue to provide cover for “Racist, actions, words, policies and groups.”CNN;Emanuel Cleaver This is methodically done to confuse people and espouse propaganda. It will continue to make people doubt what they are actually seeing or hearing. Words, phraseology do matter. When you hear or see the word racist we should be repulsed. However euphemisms creates ambivalence.
If a sitting black congressman refuses to state the current President said something overtly racist as “go back to your country.” The corporate media will succeed in making the word racist obsolete.