The American economy in 2023 has proven to be tremendously resilient. The recession which had been forecast by many experts has not occurred. The rapidly rising inflation has been slowed and declined considerably. And, the national unemployment rate stands close to a near record low. In spite of this, there is still important work to be done. This is due to the fact that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of the end of July, there were 8.8 million unfilled job … [Read more...]
LABOR STRIKES OUT
In baseball, if there is a strikeout, the pitcher and his teammates are happy and the batter and his teammates are unhappy. In the labor movement, given the results achieved to date through strikes in 2023, some workers are happy and others are not. Labor Striking Out Increases What can’t be disputed is that in 2022, and again in 2023, the strike returned to a position of prominence as a tool used by organized labor and those attempting to organize labor. As Sarah … [Read more...]
Hope Must Not Die: It is Pivotal to America’s Future
“Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words – And never stops — at all — Emily Dickinson In the United States of America today, that bird has not stopped singing. But during these polarized and stressful times, it is losing some of its feathers, and its tune is being blocked for and by many. This is a dangerous condition for the future of our American democracy, its citizens, and the people of the … [Read more...]
Climate Change: A Critical Race We Must Win
Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. — Robert Frost As 2021 drew to a close, we named “critical race” our word for that year. We chose critical race because, as we stated back then, America and Americans were in a race for the future comprised of many major contests. The contests we named at that time included: competition with China, domestic conflict, and climate change. With regard to climate change, we observed, While the political climate has … [Read more...]
NOT NECESSARILY THE NEWS
Not Necessarily the News was a satirical HBO comedy series that ran from 1983 to 1990. A small segment of Americans turned to the show back then to see the news spoofed in skits and altered actual news coverage as entertainment. Fast forward four decades to 2023, and what a large segment of the American public is turning to today as their source for the news is Not Necessarily the News. This was revealed in a national survey conducted by the Gallup and Knight Foundation in October … [Read more...]
OUR NATIONAL NIGHTMARE
In 2023, the United States of America continues to grow as a graveyard for the victims of mass shootings and other gun deaths. The USA gave birth to the American Dream of endless opportunity. For too many today, the USA has become an American Nightmare of opportunity ended. Mass Shooting and Gun Death Statistics Mass shootings capture the headlines and significant media coverage. Other deaths caused by, and with a gun, much less so. As the following discussion shows, Americans … [Read more...]
Small Business Is Big Business
This past week (April 30 — May 6) was National Small Business Week (NSBW). In 2023, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), as in past years, sponsored and promoted NSBW as a time to recognize and celebrate the essential contribution that small business makes to the American economy. One of the online events the SBA convened to do this was a Virtual Summit held on May 2–3. On those days, the Virtual Summit featured “educational workshops presented by event … [Read more...]
The Indoctrinator
Following woke indoctrination in our schools, that is a road to ruin for our country. And we’re not going to let that happen in Florida. - Ron DeSantis Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has become the rising star in the Republican Party and the potential leading challenger to Donald Trump to secure the nomination to be the Republican candidate for President in 2024. He has achieved this status by purportedly being a champion of free speech and citizens’ rights. DeSantis … [Read more...]
The Need for Civics in the Middle
In 2023, the polar ice caps are melting. The political polarization in the U.S. is hardening. That’s proof that climate change is not just limited to the environment. The political, social and emotional climate in our nation is changing as well. Much of the environmental climate change can be attributed to things that we humans are doing. In contrast, much of the political, social and emotional climate change can be attributed to what we humans are not doing. We are failing to develop … [Read more...]
Word of the Year: Democracy
After a long and hard-fought campaign, it is now my honor to utter the four most powerful words in a democracy: “The people have spoken.” I have often said that a vote is a prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and our children. — Raphael Warnock, victory speech …I don’t want any of you to stop dreaming. I don’t want any of you to stop believing in America. I want you to believe in America, and to continue to believe in the Constitution and believe … [Read more...]