chocolatpi
chocolatpi's JournalPresident Biden Is Right-Afganistan
I will be watching for the President's Press Conference on the developing withdrawal, long overdue, imho. The Council on Foreign Relations and The Diplomat
are good sources for reporting without hyperbole, imho.
A timeline of events like those listed below:
https://www.cfr.org/asia/afghanistan
Council on Foreign Relations
Afghanistan War
Biden Was Right
The rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and governing institutions largely substantiates US President Joe Biden’s skepticism that US-led efforts would ever have enabled the government to stand on its own feet. Even two decades of steady support failed to create Afghan institutions capable of holding their own.
Article by Charles A. Kupchan August 16, 2021
https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/afghanistans-failed-constitution/
Afghanistan’s Failed Constitution
The 2004 constitution is responsible for many of the problems facing Afghanistan today – including the retrenchment of the Taliban.
By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
August 12, 2021
Afghanistan’s Failed Constitution
Following the successful efforts in 2001 of a United States-led international coalition in alliance with local Afghan groups such as the Northern Alliance in overthrowing the Taliban, Afghanistan got a new constitution in 2004.
more at links above...
Voice of America is back to truth telling, Census/redistricting.
Here's another good reason to praise our Democratic team in the White House and Congress. I can now go back to trying to relearn reading and writing in French. I figure that will keep me busy for a few years if not a decade.
US Population Diversifying, as Number of Whites Declines for First Time
By Ken Bredemeier
Updated August 12, 2021 08:24 PM
….snip
Redistricting
Aside from a snapshot of who Americans are, the census data will play an important role in U.S. politics. State lawmakers across much of the country – or politically independent commissions in some states – will use the information to redraw the geographic lines for congressional and state legislative districts that in most cases will likely be used in elections through 2030.
...snip (blah, blah, blah both sides try)
In any case, the redrawing of districts each decade spawns numerous lawsuits from both parties, each alleging that the other has unfairly skewed the process in its favor, leaving it to judges to make final determinations of the exact geographic lines.
The redistricting set to take place throughout much of the country in the coming months is expected to be particularly contentious this time.
In November 2022, political control of Congress is at stake, with all 435 House seats up for election and Republicans needing to pick up only five seats to win control from the Democrats. Analysts say Republican-controlled state legislatures could secure that many through redistricting alone.
A third of the seats in the Senate, now divided evenly with 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats, are also up for grabs, but the census has no bearing on the voting, since each state is represented by two senators, regardless of population.
...snip
In the House, demographic shifts in the U.S. will affect the number of House seats in 13 states, with Republican-controlled Texas gaining two seats, five states each gaining another congressman and seven states losing one each.
The bigger population growth in Southern states in the past decade, where congressional representation is growing, would seem to favor Republicans, while lesser growth in Northern states could mostly hurt Democratic election chances in upcoming years.
https://www.voanews.com/
https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-population-diversifying-number-whites-declines-first-time
Who's Driving the Deforestation in Brazil?
If you answered corporate and political interests, I would agree that it plays a role. A large role, billons of dollars fleeced from the poor without any concern that money will be worthless without a space suit providing you with Oxygen.
What’s behind the rapid deforestation? Could it be that Bosonaro also took an (cough, cough) investment opportunity in trade? I am sure that there are other (cough, cough) investment firms who have also invested.
Disclaimer: I have no ties to Goldman Sachs now or ever. I remain angry over the BIG LIE that preceded the World heading to the brink of a stock market crash, bank failures and depression.
https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/archive/archive-pdfs/brics-book/brics-chap-5.pdf
CHAPTER FIVE
THE B IN BRICS: UNLOCKING BRAZIL’S GROWTH POTENTIAL
December 2006
While campaigning for his second term, which begins in January 2007, Brazilís President Lula
da Silva promised to implement economic policies that would boost GDP growth rates to
5.0%. This growth target sounds ambitious given that, since we published our first BRICs
studies in 2003, Brazil has grown only at a disappointing 2.7% a year on average, compared
with the 3.7% that we had estimated its long-term growth potential to be.
Brazil has underperformed not only relative to our expectations but also compared with all the
other BRICs. Since 2003, real GDP growth rates in China, India and Russia have averaged
10.2%, 8.0% and 6.9%, in each case far exceeding our estimates of their long-term potential
(4.9%, 5.8% and 3.5%, respectively).
The disparity in terms of growth performance between Brazil and the other BRICs raises three
legitimate questions: (1) Were we wrong about our initial assessment of the growth prospects
for Brazil? (2) Should Brazil still be part of the BRICs? (3) Can Brazil boost and sustain
higher growth rates in the long term, say at or above a secular average of 5.0% a year?
We remain confident about Brazilís growth potential, at least in terms of what we have
envisaged in our BRICs studies. The main reason for Brazilís underperformance is that, until
now, the government had been in the process of implementing a stabilisation programme, with
a view to achieving macroeconomic stability. This is a key precondition for growth. Thanks to
these adjustment efforts, macroeconomic conditions are more favourable now than they have
been for decades. The large balance of payments surpluses have been used to prepay external
debt and accumulate reserves, while a credible central bank (BACEN) has reduced inflation to
3.0% in 2006.
We believe that the Lula II administration will sustain sound macroeconomic policies and
make some progress on structural reforms. Stability should allow real GDP growth rates to
move gradually towards Brazilís potential rate of about 3.5%, which is near our BRICs
potential growth rate of 3.7%.
We also believe that Brazil could grow much faster, perhaps at a secular growth rate of about
5.0%. For this to happen, the government will have to tackle four difficult structural problems:
! Brazil saves and invests too little. To address this issue, the government will have to
deepen and improve the quality of the fiscal adjustment.
! The economy should be opened to trade.
! The government must improve the overall quality of education.
! The government should implement structural reforms to improve institutions, with a view
to increasing total factor productivity.
We do not believe that the Lula II administration and Congress will be ambitious enough to
implement this politically difficult agenda. Therefore, while Brazil has the potential to grow at
or above 5.0%, this is unlikely to happen during the next four years
…...snip
Progress Not Perfection to insure domestic Tranquility
I’ve gained a sincere respect and appreciation for the actions of President Biden since he took office just 6 months ago. He will be our candidate for President in 2024 and he will win again. I agree that the Biden budget and infrastructure bills are popular and should be voted on before voting rights. I am thrilled that Speaker Pelosi is moving forward on exposing the Big Lie resulting insurrection on 1/6. Hold their feet to the fire Madame Speaker.
Speaker Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and President Biden are doing a fine job. Jan Paske is pitch perfect, fast on her feet, witty, well informed and on message. Please don’t go Jan. Somebody give her a raise, onsite child care or???
I want to recognize the Progressive Activists who have guided me along the way.
Without progressive activists, there would not be a 19th Amendment, giving white women but not women of color, poor and Native American women the right to vote, no Civil Rights Act, no codified law for equal pay. They organized, they marched, they devoted time and money. They faced bloody beatings, murder, lynchings and intimidation.
All of those hard fought advances are under attack by Corporate and individual interests of the wealthy, Republican Governors, State Legislatures and Republicans in Congress. The conservatives sitting on SCOTUS have spoken, “corporations are people”. Women and minorities are still underrepresented and without equal pay. Peaceful protesters are still being intimidated, beaten or killed by police who ignore their duty to serve. The rumpublican big lie freak brigade of sundry circus acts and murderers of Capital Police. Roger Stone and his minions of fascist groups like the Proud Boys, have gone unpunished. Let's not forget TFG is grifting his way to millions and planning to run again.
It is now over 100 years since the 19th Amendment was ratified on 8/18/1820, Mississippi didn’t ratify until 1984. It has been nearly 50 years since The Equal Pay Act and The Civil Rights yet “still we persist” Maya Angelou. The dream is still alive (Ted Kennedy) and there are still those who hope to trod US into the very dirt. (Videos, photos and more historical references at the Nation Park Service link below)
When I say I am practicing “The Art of War”, it means many things. “A house divided will fall”, we have the majority and must work together to push our advantage to move or stop legislation and legislators not operating in the interest of the majority. We should not tolerate the spreading of the Republican big lie or TFGs terrorists. We do not fear defeat before we have all the facts and a plan to win, talk to Senators Jon Assoff, Rapheal Warnock and Stacy Abrams.
We are going to need every vote we can get to win in 2022 and 2024, sending the TFG and the turtle into permanent retirement. We must be prepared to fight(figuratively) for Vote By Mail on the streets and at at the ballot box. We need to win more elections for Governors and up and down ballot races in each state. We will need to deploy resources and assets using targeted data acted upon quickly. We need a coordinated ad campaign to run in every state that reinforces our platform and kitchen table issues for voters.
I am a pragmatic, progressive Democrat, a team player, a cheerleader not a star performer. “Elections are won in the center”, progressives I admire are willing to compromise, not roll over and get in line, “win/win” (if you are Rahm Emanuel-big grin here).
Reference for history of 19th Amendment at the National Park Service website below:
https://www.nps.gov/wori/learn/historyculture/2020-crash-course.htm
PS: I read the DU front page most days and always learn how little I know, enjoying the many laughs and diversions in many of the group discussions and diaries. It is always like a box of diversity chocolates. Thank y’all for all that you do.
We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. Benjamin Franklin
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