Update no.1092

 Update from the Sunland

No.1092

12.12.22 – 18.12.22

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- On Tuesday, President Biden finally signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act [PL 117-228; H.R.8404; House: 258-169-1-4(3); Senate: 61-36-0-3(0); 136 Stat. xxx] [1071]. The new law codifies marriage for all citizens regardless of any one or combination of the social factors. The law also compels the states to recognize interracial or non-heterosexual marriages but does not require states to sanction such marriages. Congress decided to act in the wake of the tragic Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization [597 U. S. ____ (2022)] [1067, 1068] decision, and especially Justice Thomas’s terrible and ominous concurring opinion.

As with ALL of the social issues, if you do not approve of or support any particular matter, just do not engage in that behavior. At the bottom line, we do not have the right to deny freedom of choice to any other citizens that does not involve the public domain and the common good. Denial of freedom to any one of us is a denial to all. Freedom is not about conformity; it all about respecting the rights of others and allowing them the same freedom you enjoy regardless of the social factors.

 

Congratulations to the Argentina Football Association—their men’s national team—for their World Cup 2022 victory in Qatar. Argentina dominated virtually every category of play. They led 2-0 at the half. France tied it up at 2-2 at full time. They both scored in overtime ending at 3-3, which sent the match to penalty kicks. Argentina won 4-2 on penalty kicks. Argentina looked sharper and more precise throughout the match and deserved to win. It was a worthy final match.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1091:

Comment to the Blog:

“One more issue with considering corporations as if they were people: they can’t be imprisoned. Today’s examples are companies named for 45POTUS.

“Senator Sinema has dropped the label of Democrat, but the DNC allows her to continue using their power. Like Senator Manchin, who keeps the label, she retains her committee assignments, a key source of power. Manchin’s assignments are the more important. Manchin made his money in coal and chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Manchin also sits on Appropriations, a most powerful committee. The DNC could change all that but hasn’t.

“The United States Government is the enforcer for the railroad companies, among others. We shall overcome.

My response to the Blog:

True. But on rare occasions, the contemporary officers of those corporations, those responsible for the operations (conduct, behavior), have been charged, tried, convicted, and imprisoned. That detail aside, your point remains valid as we have discussed in other forms. Corporations are NOT citizens, despite what SCOTUS declared.

Manchin keeps the label for now, but I am hearing rumblings that he may do the same as Sinema, or even switch to what used to be the GOP. He may be clandestinely planting those seeds to forestall any move by the Senate party leadership to sideline him. Yeah, we will find out next month how all this plays out.

That’s a little too far for me. Railroads are as vital as water, sewer, electricity, the Interstate highway system, and heating (gas & oil). The USG’s responsibility is the common good. While the USG has a moral obligation to all citizens, when one group harms another group, or the whole, then the common good becomes paramount. It is a very difficult and precarious balancing act. I want paid sick leave for all citizens even those in the lowest entry level jobs. My concern here is the means to the end.

The days come whether we want them or not. Life does not always play out the way we want it to. We deal with what comes.

 . . . Round two:

“We shall see what the morrow brings to DC, but Manchin’s presence on anything dealing with energy is a conflict of interest, and the DNC uses him to avoid standing up for what they promise.

“Railroads are indeed vital, labor even more so. The U.S. Government’s function in this is to choose which group to ‘harm,’ as you put it. In the history of labor, when the Government has remained neutral, labor wins and the crisis ends. The history of railroad labor and coal mining bears this out.

“I’m truly sad if you don’t want the days to come. Please take care of yourself.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Indeed! The world will continue to turn. Perhaps so, but he is not the only committee member; he does not decide. Further, do we recuse former soldiers from serving on the Armed Forces Committee? Politics is ugly, but like sewers, they are necessary.

No, I think the USG’s function is to find balance between often widely divergent forces. Taken in the negative perspective, to harm both sides equally, or close to equally. H.J.Res. 100 does not give us substantive insight into the railroad labor situation. We do know that the companies have NOT justified their ‘no paid sick leave’ stance. To me, that is unacceptable. The electricity generation industry is highly regulated (some might argue not regulated enough), and the railroad industry deserves to be equally regulated for the exact same reasons. I do not like that H.J.Res.100 was necessary, but the USG really needs a follow-up to induce compromise, or a law to require paid sick leave may be necessary. Black lung has not gone away, but it is one helluva lot less than a century ago. As I have stated before, on this one, I am on the side of labor. I think the railroad companies are flat wrong. But, a national railroad strike is an atomic bomb to swat a fly. There has to be a better way.

I am not included in your second-person plural. I continue to fight for every day I can reach. I only note that some do not.

 . . . Round three:

“The Chair of a Senate committee has a great deal of power in that committee’s workings, and a veteran doesn’t have the financial conflicts of interest that Manchin does.

“The Government’s function is to serve the interests of the people more generally, not to serve or harm one side of any given conflict. The greatest good of the greatest number would be served by Biden & Co. staying out of the way of progress. The disastrous outcome of a strike is a bogeyman the companies could easily avoid.

“Perhaps I misread your comment.”

 . . . my response to round three:

You are, of course, quite correct. However, there are always ways around obstacles. Your statement raises a much greater issue of corruption in government from federal to local. We have discussed many times the corruption of money in politics. Senator Manchin is not the sole practitioner. Respectfully, although I do not have hard evidence beyond probable cause or beyond a reasonable doubt, I think if you (the general second-person plural ‘you’) are a politician, you have been corrupted by money. Far too many politicians sell their soul and conscience for money. Senator Manchin is not the only politician.

Yes, exactly, the common good. I do not see the USG choosing sides in H.J.Res.100. In the railroad labor dispute, we face a common dilemma, finding balance between conflicting forces. I see the potential of a national railroad strike in the similar manner as an ordinary public protest against any number of matters. The First Amendment protects “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” That constitutional right does NOT protect looting, damaging property, assaulting police, et al. Once again, I must emphatically state that I am on the side of labor in the ‘paid sick leave’ issue. I think it is unconscionable that skilled employees of any type are denied paid sick leave. I simply see a national railroad strike as quite akin to looting retail stores. There must be a better way than using a nuclear weapon to swat a fly, or perhaps it is a pesky bird.

I appreciate your sensitivity to my mental health. That is what friends do, and I am grateful. I am dealing with a number of serious health issues including one I see as Damocles Sword. I do confess to moments when the Black Dog comes to visit, but on the whole, I appreciate and cherish each and every day that blesses my life. I also intend to reach as many of those days as I am able. I remain in a generally positive, curious, anticipatory mental and emotional state. Again, thank you for your concern.

 . . . Round four:

“The notion of a strike as either a nuclear weapon or as looting strikes me as seriously exaggerated. Please be careful about taking the people on the news too literally.

“I wish you health and longevity. I live in a building dedicated to older people, so I see the obstacles to those goals, but also the people who are achieving them.

“We are having seasonal weather for a change. The precipitation impedes my car-free travels more than the temperatures, but I’m able to go places regardless of most of it.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Exaggeration . . . perhaps. That is my opinion, not anyone else’s opinion.

Thx mate. I intend to be one of those to achieve longevity, but I do not control many of the active variables.

I am glad the weather does not impede your daily travels in any major fashion. Remember, better safe than sorry.

Take love with you everywhere indeed. Encouraging words, but there are more than a few folks out there who want to do their best to disrupt the love through the generous dispersal of their disrespect, anger, resentment, and foolishness. Regardless, we must persevere; love is too important.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)