It's been almost 26 years since the Soviet Union broke up. The Constitution of the Soviet Union said that any Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union had the right to secede. Finally, after seventy years of Communism, eleven of the twelve Soviet Socialist Republics had had enough, and seceded from the Soviet Union, leaving Russia, the physically largest member of the former Soviet Union.
After the time of Yeltsin, the Russians now have former KGB Colonel Putin as their leader. Premier Putin brags about his missiles that he has pointed at America and new technology Russia is developing to make a surprise attack on America more lethal.
What to do?
Some of the British used to joke about Russia as "Upper Volta with missiles." Of course, Upper Volta would not be able to inflict much damage on the United States nor the West.
Russia has slipped somewhat in its economic might compared with other nations. Britain, France, and Germany have edged ahead of Russia in GDP and economic capability. Of course Britain, France, and Germany are NATO allies of the United States, so their economic and military might are helpful to the United States. I believe that Japan has a greater GDP that Russia, but Japan was forced to renounce violence at the end of World War II.
Anyway, our situation with Russia is similar to Rome's situation with Carthage at the end of the Punic wars. Finally, after bringing Carthage to its knees, Rome finally destroyed Carthage--a North African Empire. Hannibal was from Carthage, and ran amok in Italy with his army of people and elephants. A great Roman General--perhaps Roman's greatest--advised that if the Romans invaded North Africa, the North African power would order its troops and Hannibal to withdraw from Italy. This is what happened. The destruction of Carthage came later.
Anyway, America has always taken the position that our struggle is against the rulers of adversary countries, and not the people, themselves, of such countries.
A more generous immigration policy concerning the Russians would be helping ordinary Russian people, while reducing the power of the Russian government. Congress should increase the quotas of Russian immigrants to the United States, while standing firm against the Russian oligarchy which poisons people and their daughters who try to escape Russia. Containment was a good policy concerning the Communists, and it is a good policy to follow concerning a resurgent nationalist Russia. Welcoming technologists, scientists, and engineers from Russia, to relocate to America would bolster the American economy, and perhaps reduce Russia to having a smaller GDP than Italy. If Russia had a smaller GDP than Italy, we need not lose sleep worrying about their submarines, missiles, and spies. The Russian Bear can be shrunk, by welcoming their intelligentsia to the United States.
Kenneth Stepp, a Democratic candidate for the United States Congress in the Kentucky Fifth District, if elected, would support a policy of draining top technologists, scientists and engineers from Russia, while standing guard against undue force used by the Russians against American NATO allies such as Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland which were formerly militarily occupied by the Soviet Union. When Russia becomes a leading advocate of human rights, perhaps America can relax more.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Friday, March 23, 2018
Big Deficits from Washington.
From 1792, when Kentucky became one of these United States, until 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President, America was on the Gold, or Gold and Silver, money systems, which limited the supply of money by the amount of gold, or gold and silver coins that were circulating in the United States, or were backing paper currency circulating in the United States. That created a stable money system, and there was almost no inflation of American Currency from 1792 until 1932. Deficits generally accrued during wartime, and were generally paid off during peacetime.
Intuitively, the annual budget deficit should represent the amount added to the national debt.[51] However, there are certain types of spending ("supplemental appropriations") outside the budget process which are not captured in the deficit computation, which also add to the national debt. Prior to 2009, spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was often funded through special appropriations excluded from the budget deficit calculation. In FY2010 and prior, the budget deficit and annual change in the national debt were significantly different. For example, the U.S. added $1 trillion to the national debt in FY2008 but reported a deficit of $455 billion. Due to rules changes implemented under President Obama in 2009, the two figures have moved closer together and were nearly identical in 2013 (a CBO reported deficit of $680 billion versus change in debt of $672 billion). For FY2014, the difference widened again, with the CBO reporting a deficit of $483 billion [52] versus a change in total debt outstanding of $1,086 billion.[53]" Wikipedia.
The Chart gives more current figutes. In fiscal year 2014, the total debt of the United States Treasury increased by $1,086 billion, or put differently $1.086 trillion dollars. That's a lot of money. That's a lot of Jack, Jack.
To put it another way, when you divide that $1,086,000 million dollars of how much the national debt was increased in fiscal year 2014 by the total number of people residing in the United States of 350 million people--men, women, and children, you get an increase in the national debt for that year of $3,102.86 for each man, woman, and child living in the U.S.A. What if your wife, or husband, or kid went out last year and blew $3,102.86 and had nothing to show for it. You'd get pretty mad, right? Well, when Hal Rogers and his Republican cronies go out and put you in debt for an additional $3,102.86 for that fiscal year 2014, why does that not make you mad enough to vote Hal Rogers and his political cronies out of office? Well? Think about it.
According to the above chart, 2018 debt increases and deficits are much worse than 2014 debt increases and deficits. How badly do things have to get out of whack before you will replace Hal Rogers and his Republican cronies with Democrats. Democrats served as President during the golden ages of America. In 1800 our first Democratic President Thomas Jefferson was elected President, and he promptly doubled the size of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. His eight year Presidency was followed by the eight year Presidency of his fellow Virginian, James Madison, and then the eight year Presidency of their fellow Virginian James Monroe. John Quincy Adams, another Democrat, and the son of a Federaist President succeeded the three Virginians. Finally that Democrat Andrew Jackson, whose face is scheduled to be removed from the twenty dollar bill because he is not politically correct enough, served two terms as President. Another Democrat, Martin Van Buren succeeded Andrew Jackson as President. Finally some Whigs served as President, until James K. Polk was elected President, defended America in a war with Mexico, and annexed a third of Mexico into the United States. After four more years of Whiggery in the White House, Franklin Pierce restored a Democratic Administration to the White House, followed by Democratic President James Buchanan.
The question of the abolition of slavery resulted in a series of Republican Administrations from 1961 until Grover Cleveland served a term as a Democratic President, was out of office for four years, and then served another four years as a Democratic President. As mentioned above, these years with mostly Democratic Administrations enjoyed a stable amount of currency, with a stable value of the currency, also. A dollar would buy the same amount of produce in 1792 as it would in 1932.
Woodrow was President from 1913 until 1921. Finally, the Republican era ended in 1932 when the Great Depression struck, and the people turned former New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, another Democrat, into the President.
In the initial years of the Great Depression, the government enacted the Hawley--Smoot Tariff Act, which only deepened the Great Depression, by adding to trade wars against America's trading partners. Also, as a matter of economic policy, America cut off Japan's oil supply, contributing to Japanese anger at the United States. Yes, trade wars have bad consequences, lengthening depressions, and inciting wars.
After the sixteen years of the Roosevelt-Truman Democratic Administration, Republicans again controlled the White House with much Democratic strength in the houses of Congress.
Another Democratic Administration came to Washington in 1961, when John Kennedy brought "The New Frontier" to town. Upon his untimely death, Texas Democrat Lyndon Johnson led the country for the remainder of the Kennedy-Johnson Administration. I saw Lyndon Johnson in 1960 when he was campaigning at a railroad station near where I lived. After a couple of Republican Administrations, Jimmy Carter of Georgia carried every county in Georgia and brought the Democrats back into the White House in 1977.
After the Reagan-Bush Administrations, former Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas, another Democrat was elected President and served the last eight years of the old millenium. After another President Bush lived in the White House, Barak Obama was the most recent Democrat President in a long line of Democratic Presidents.
Bipartisanship is good, as long as it is for good causes. When I was in college, the Gross National Product was $660 Billion, at an annual rate, now our annual Federal Budget Deficit, or annual increase on the Federal debt is more than that. Democrats and Republicans need to work together to bring the budget under control. Many expensive programs we cannot afford. We will have to make some cuts. If a political program won't sell in Peoria, we probably don't need it. In our household, everyone would like to drive a Cadillac, but most people can't afford one, so we settle for what we can afford. The same is true of the government. We need to settle for what we can afford, and cut back on useless programs. Democrats of the past centuries knew how to cut spending and make budgets. That's what we need now. We need to cut spending, and make better use of how our taxes are spent. Kenneth Stepp.
"Relationship of deficit and debt[edit]
The Chart gives more current figutes. In fiscal year 2014, the total debt of the United States Treasury increased by $1,086 billion, or put differently $1.086 trillion dollars. That's a lot of money. That's a lot of Jack, Jack.
To put it another way, when you divide that $1,086,000 million dollars of how much the national debt was increased in fiscal year 2014 by the total number of people residing in the United States of 350 million people--men, women, and children, you get an increase in the national debt for that year of $3,102.86 for each man, woman, and child living in the U.S.A. What if your wife, or husband, or kid went out last year and blew $3,102.86 and had nothing to show for it. You'd get pretty mad, right? Well, when Hal Rogers and his Republican cronies go out and put you in debt for an additional $3,102.86 for that fiscal year 2014, why does that not make you mad enough to vote Hal Rogers and his political cronies out of office? Well? Think about it.
According to the above chart, 2018 debt increases and deficits are much worse than 2014 debt increases and deficits. How badly do things have to get out of whack before you will replace Hal Rogers and his Republican cronies with Democrats. Democrats served as President during the golden ages of America. In 1800 our first Democratic President Thomas Jefferson was elected President, and he promptly doubled the size of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. His eight year Presidency was followed by the eight year Presidency of his fellow Virginian, James Madison, and then the eight year Presidency of their fellow Virginian James Monroe. John Quincy Adams, another Democrat, and the son of a Federaist President succeeded the three Virginians. Finally that Democrat Andrew Jackson, whose face is scheduled to be removed from the twenty dollar bill because he is not politically correct enough, served two terms as President. Another Democrat, Martin Van Buren succeeded Andrew Jackson as President. Finally some Whigs served as President, until James K. Polk was elected President, defended America in a war with Mexico, and annexed a third of Mexico into the United States. After four more years of Whiggery in the White House, Franklin Pierce restored a Democratic Administration to the White House, followed by Democratic President James Buchanan.
The question of the abolition of slavery resulted in a series of Republican Administrations from 1961 until Grover Cleveland served a term as a Democratic President, was out of office for four years, and then served another four years as a Democratic President. As mentioned above, these years with mostly Democratic Administrations enjoyed a stable amount of currency, with a stable value of the currency, also. A dollar would buy the same amount of produce in 1792 as it would in 1932.
Woodrow was President from 1913 until 1921. Finally, the Republican era ended in 1932 when the Great Depression struck, and the people turned former New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, another Democrat, into the President.
In the initial years of the Great Depression, the government enacted the Hawley--Smoot Tariff Act, which only deepened the Great Depression, by adding to trade wars against America's trading partners. Also, as a matter of economic policy, America cut off Japan's oil supply, contributing to Japanese anger at the United States. Yes, trade wars have bad consequences, lengthening depressions, and inciting wars.
After the sixteen years of the Roosevelt-Truman Democratic Administration, Republicans again controlled the White House with much Democratic strength in the houses of Congress.
Another Democratic Administration came to Washington in 1961, when John Kennedy brought "The New Frontier" to town. Upon his untimely death, Texas Democrat Lyndon Johnson led the country for the remainder of the Kennedy-Johnson Administration. I saw Lyndon Johnson in 1960 when he was campaigning at a railroad station near where I lived. After a couple of Republican Administrations, Jimmy Carter of Georgia carried every county in Georgia and brought the Democrats back into the White House in 1977.
After the Reagan-Bush Administrations, former Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas, another Democrat was elected President and served the last eight years of the old millenium. After another President Bush lived in the White House, Barak Obama was the most recent Democrat President in a long line of Democratic Presidents.
Bipartisanship is good, as long as it is for good causes. When I was in college, the Gross National Product was $660 Billion, at an annual rate, now our annual Federal Budget Deficit, or annual increase on the Federal debt is more than that. Democrats and Republicans need to work together to bring the budget under control. Many expensive programs we cannot afford. We will have to make some cuts. If a political program won't sell in Peoria, we probably don't need it. In our household, everyone would like to drive a Cadillac, but most people can't afford one, so we settle for what we can afford. The same is true of the government. We need to settle for what we can afford, and cut back on useless programs. Democrats of the past centuries knew how to cut spending and make budgets. That's what we need now. We need to cut spending, and make better use of how our taxes are spent. Kenneth Stepp.
NO TRADE WAR! NEVER!
HAL ROGERS AND HIS POLITICAL CRONIES IN THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, ALONG WITH DONALD TRUMP TALK ABOUT "TRADE WARS" AS IF THERE ARE "GOOD TRADE WARS".
The Republicans are concerned about the "trade deficit" with Communist China and most other nations. What the "trade deficit" means is simply that we sell a certain amount of goods and services to a foreign nation such as Communist China, and they turn around and sell a lesser amount of goods and services back to us made by Chinese labor. The difference, or the "trade deficit" is what cash in American Dollars, and more specifically American hundred dollar bills that Communist China keeps as part of their "currency reserve". So we end up with us holding millions of dollars of Communist Chinese manufactured shirts, pants, and suits; and, in exchange, Communist Chinese holding millions of dollars of American paper money in the form of hundred dollar bills, or checks or other credits in the form of American money in their account. As an American economist has commented, American money is not wealth, it is merely a claim against wealth--the real wealth is the consumer goods, such as shirts, pants, and suits that the American people hold as a result of their trading with the Communist Chinese.
KENNETH STEPP would vote against any "trade war" with Communist China or with any other country or group of countries. If Communist China or anyone else wants to stock up on American money, and allow us to stock up on goods that they have manufactured, or metals such as steel and aluminum that they have removed from the earth,and melted and smelted and molded into moveable metal, we can live with that.
As far as the Republican-championed heavy tariffs on steel, aluminum, and other products, against some nations as Communist China, but excluding the tariffs from American allies such as Canada, Mexico, Chile, Korea, and other friendly nations, KENNETH STEPP would vote NO, because these heavy tariffs are likely to cause a trade war. A trade war means we stop buying their goods and services, and they stop buying our goods and services. That would cause unemployment among many of our agricultural workers, and aircraft workers. KENNETH STEPP says NO to new tariffs and NO to a trade war.
The Republicans are concerned about the "trade deficit" with Communist China and most other nations. What the "trade deficit" means is simply that we sell a certain amount of goods and services to a foreign nation such as Communist China, and they turn around and sell a lesser amount of goods and services back to us made by Chinese labor. The difference, or the "trade deficit" is what cash in American Dollars, and more specifically American hundred dollar bills that Communist China keeps as part of their "currency reserve". So we end up with us holding millions of dollars of Communist Chinese manufactured shirts, pants, and suits; and, in exchange, Communist Chinese holding millions of dollars of American paper money in the form of hundred dollar bills, or checks or other credits in the form of American money in their account. As an American economist has commented, American money is not wealth, it is merely a claim against wealth--the real wealth is the consumer goods, such as shirts, pants, and suits that the American people hold as a result of their trading with the Communist Chinese.
KENNETH STEPP would vote against any "trade war" with Communist China or with any other country or group of countries. If Communist China or anyone else wants to stock up on American money, and allow us to stock up on goods that they have manufactured, or metals such as steel and aluminum that they have removed from the earth,and melted and smelted and molded into moveable metal, we can live with that.
As far as the Republican-championed heavy tariffs on steel, aluminum, and other products, against some nations as Communist China, but excluding the tariffs from American allies such as Canada, Mexico, Chile, Korea, and other friendly nations, KENNETH STEPP would vote NO, because these heavy tariffs are likely to cause a trade war. A trade war means we stop buying their goods and services, and they stop buying our goods and services. That would cause unemployment among many of our agricultural workers, and aircraft workers. KENNETH STEPP says NO to new tariffs and NO to a trade war.
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Kenneth Stepp opposes sex discrimination!
What is Sex Discrimination?
Sex Discrimination is using a person's sex, to judge--or prejudge--a person.
History of Sex Discrimination.
Sex Discrimination has a history in the world and in the United States. In Biblical Times, women were deemed less important than men, and in many places in the Judeo-Christian Bible, the names of men are mentioned, but not the names of women. Of course both Adam and Eve are mentioned at the beginning of the Bible, but the names of the four women on the Ark with Noah and his three sons at the time of The Great Flood are not mentioned. In most lists of ancestors in the Bible, the names of the men are mentioned, but not the names of the women. In the earlier books of the Bible, kings of Israel and Judah are mentioned--but neither nation ever had a ruling queen. The neighboring nations were similar; kings were listed, but not ruling queens. Under Royalist governments, thrones were generally inherited by kings, and rarely by queens. In more modern times, Britain and Czarist Russia allowed women to ascend to thrones,but not many countries did. Likewise "glass ceilings" existed, and few military leaders, colonial governors, and captains of industry were women. It was not until approx. 1920 in the United States that suffrage--or the right to vote--was extended to women nationwide. I remember, I was told that in that year in North Carolina, my Grandpa, a lifelong Democrat, voted in the Presidential race for Cox; but his wife and my Grandmother voted for, and helped elect Warren G. Harding, the Republican. Even as late as the 1970's many professional schools openly discriminated against women applicants; when I was in Law School in 1974 or 1975, my law school suddenly stopped discrimination against women applicants, and about half the new class were women. Today most professional schools don't discriminate against women, and we have many new women doctors, lawyers, dentists and other professionals.
Many other jobs that were formerly open to only men, are now open to men and women. The Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century resulted in the ending of many of those forms of sex discrimination.
Many other jobs that were formerly open to only men, are now open to men and women. The Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century resulted in the ending of many of those forms of sex discrimination.
Analysis. Sex discrimination is unfair. Sex discrimination is irrational. Sex discrimination is contrary to the meaning in the American Declaration of Independence, that "All men are created equal." Sex discrimination is contrary to the words in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution that all Americans are guaranteed the "Equal Protection of the Law." Sex discrimination is contrary to the words of Christ that yoo.u should "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or Treat others like you want to be treated. We should oppose sex discrimination. You can probably think of dozens of reasons to oppose sex discrimination. I'll try to post any comments you make that don't have cussing, or derogatory slurs in them.
Conclusion. Kenneth Stepp opposes sex discrimination. I hope you oppose sex discrimination, to
Conclusion. Kenneth Stepp opposes sex discrimination. I hope you oppose sex discrimination, to
Kenneth Stepp Opposes Racism!
What is Racism?
Racism is using a person's race, or racial characteristics, to judge--or prejudge--a person.
History of Racism.
Racism has a history in the world and in the United States. In 1619, a slave ship carrying black people from Africa arrived at Jamestown, the first town, and the Colonial capital, of Virginia, the first of the British thirteen colonies to be settled in North America. These thirteen colonies later became the United States of America. The slaves were debarked from the ship at Jamestown and sold into slavery in Virginia colony.
From that time, racism and slavery were entertwined in colonial British America. Although it had been common in ancient times, Biblical times, and medieval times for conquerors of foreign lands to take conquered inhabitants as slaves, generally the slaves were from neighboring countries, and had a physically-similar appearance with their masters.
In the 1600's in North America it was different. Generally, people of European descent were not sold into slavery in America. Most of the people sold into slavery in America were of African descent; although, I've been told that some Turks were also sold into slavery in America.
By the time of the American Civil War--or War Between the States--almost all of the American slaves were deemed to be of African descent.
After the Civil War, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution freed the slaves, and outlawed slavery in the United States.
During that time, in many of the United States, "Jim Crow" laws appeared discriminating against the former slaves and their descendants. Even in the 1950's in many places in the United States, black people, because of their racial characteristics, were forbidden from attending many State Universities, high schools, elementary schools, hotels, motels, public swimming pools, and State parks, and forbidden from holding many jobs and positions.
The Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century resulted in the ending of many of those forms of racism.
Analysis. Racism is unfair. Racism is irrational. Racism is contrary to the words in the American Declaration of Independence, that "All men are created equal." Racism is contrary to the words in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution that all Americans are guaranteed the "Equal Protection of the Law." Racism is contrary to the words of Christ that you should "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or Treat others like you want to be treated. We should oppose racism and not be racists. You can probably think of dozens of reasons to oppose racism and not to be a racist. I'll try to post any comments you make that don't have cussing, or derogatory racial slurs in them.
Conclusion. Kenneth Stepp opposes racism. I hope you oppose racism, too.
Conclusion. Kenneth Stepp opposes racism. I hope you oppose racism, too.
Thursday, March 08, 2018
The Second Amendment.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT to the United States Constitution provides:
" . . . the right to bear arms shall not be infringed."
What did the Founding Fathers mean when they added the words "the right to bear arms shall not be infringed"?
Did they mean that ordinary citizens were only guaranteed the right to own muzzle-loading muskets, as the kind that British soldiers used in 1776?
Did they mean that the government could confiscate all the firearms in the land?
No to both of the last two questions.
Kenneth Stepp believes that words in the Constitution, and in a statute, are to be interpreted the same as their usual meaning, when read by ordinary people.
"Infringed" means "messed with". The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution means that the right to bear arms shall not be messed with. The right for ordinary citizens to bear arms is a right given by God, and the Constitution merely codifies that pre-existing right. Kenneth Stepp will vote against gun control laws, and ammunition control laws, too. A vote for Kenneth Stepp is a vote to keep your right to keep and bear firearms. Vote for Kenneth Stepp for Congress, KY-05 Democratic Primary in 2018.
" . . . the right to bear arms shall not be infringed."
What did the Founding Fathers mean when they added the words "the right to bear arms shall not be infringed"?
Did they mean that ordinary citizens were only guaranteed the right to own muzzle-loading muskets, as the kind that British soldiers used in 1776?
Did they mean that the government could confiscate all the firearms in the land?
No to both of the last two questions.
Kenneth Stepp believes that words in the Constitution, and in a statute, are to be interpreted the same as their usual meaning, when read by ordinary people.
"Infringed" means "messed with". The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution means that the right to bear arms shall not be messed with. The right for ordinary citizens to bear arms is a right given by God, and the Constitution merely codifies that pre-existing right. Kenneth Stepp will vote against gun control laws, and ammunition control laws, too. A vote for Kenneth Stepp is a vote to keep your right to keep and bear firearms. Vote for Kenneth Stepp for Congress, KY-05 Democratic Primary in 2018.
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