China – Time to Disengage Completely

China – Time to Disengage Completely

China is a dangerous, rogue nation that steals technology from companies doing business in China as a condition of doing business there, plus engages in worldwide spying to do the same, manipulates it currency to give it trade advantages, does not honor its international commitments such as the 1997 50 year one country, 2 systems treaty in Hong Kong, and international agreements about ownership of sea lanes by nations sharing those sea lanes, brutalize its people, and is striving for world dominance and control by the year 2050.

It is time for America and its NATO allies to work together in a measured step by step way to disengage from China completely (no trade, no diplomatic relations) until that nation changes its criminal behavior, adopts democracy, disbands its Communist Party, allows other political parties, and conducts free and fair elections. Economically, given that China exports far more than it imports, China would be hurt far more than the US and Europe if trade ceased with China. Don't do it at once. First fix trade imbalances with needed prescription drugs, rare Earth, needed production, and any other critical products by increasing domestic production of these valuable items. Once safely established, then give China a one year ultimatum to accomplish the goals set out. If they refuse, then cut off all trade. Also make it known to companies and other nations, that America and NATO won't allow imports of goods from their countries that were partially produced in China or containing Chinese made parts.

China is never going to change its outrageous, dangerous, and criminal activities until it pays a high enough price for its deeds. Let's start the process to influence China to free its people and behave responsibly before the situation gets any worse.

Social Security Benefits – Stop Taxing Them

If you really want to help seniors, then stop taxing Social Security benefits. SS benefits were never supposed to be taxed. Then in 1984 with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans, retirement total income above $25,000 for singles and $40,000 for married couples (then considered income amounts for only the "wealthy") had their SS benefits taxed. Those income maximums were never indexed for inflation. So now, 36 years later, much of the middle class has their SS benefits taxed and more of the middle class are added to those retirees taxed each year. Minimally, those income limits should be raised to reflect the inflation of the last 36 years, and indexed to inflation each year in the future. Ideally, make it simple, and as originally promised in the 1930s, and stop taxing Social Security benefits.

Poverty – How to Avoid It

If you honestly want to avoid poverty, there are three simple, easy to follow guidelines:

1. Education - make a strong effort at school and strive to not only graduate high school, but go on to college or technical school to gain the skills that employers are looking for and pay more for those skills. America spends more per public school student per year than any other nation (about $10,000 each per year). In large cities where many of the poor live, we spend double that. Now show your appreciation and your good fortune for having such a fine education system, behave in school and put the effort in to learn. Parents - You must be involved with your children's education. Monitor their behavior in school, make sure they study and do their homework on a daily basis, and set high standards for achieving good grades. Teachers alone cannot control your children's behavior toward learning. It is a dual responsibility.

2. Marriage - never have children out of wedlock. 50% of single parent households are poor to only 10% of married households with children. Two parents working together for family and income can obviously make more money than one parent.

3. Crime - Don't commit crimes. You can't make money in jail, and when out of jail, few want to hire you due to your criminal background.

Police Killings – The Truth

Statistics on police killings that are based on “total” racial populations are irrelevant, biased statistics that are purposely designed to distort the truth. Comparisons to racial population totals count for nothing, yet these are the only ones you hear from the news media. What counts are comparisons to the “number of law breakers” by race because law breakers are the people that police deal one on one with, not with entire populations. Consistently year after year, Black crime rates are roughly 8 times the national average. 8 times!!!!!!!!!!!!! Therefore, when that fact is calculated, a White criminal is more likely to be killed by police than a Black criminal. If you truly want to stop killings by police of all races, follow these simple guidelines:

1. Don't commit crimes.

2. Follow police directives immediately and without complaint.

3. Never threaten, fight with, or attack police - remember if innocent, you will get your day in court to prove it.

4. Never run away or drive away from police.

The History of Slavery and Public Statues

Let me start with the obvious – Slavery is a totally disgusting and unacceptable crime against humanity. Slavery was embedded into America as both a colony and a nation until the Civil War ended the practice. When you see the news and protests in America about slavery and early important American leaders who owned slaves, it is easy to get the false impression that slavery was a uniquely American invention. Unfortunately, slavery has existed for thousands of years before America existed. It has existed on every continent including Africa. Some African tribes had slaves. Some African tribes sold people to the slave traders from Europe, America, and South America. That's right – Blacks in Africa had slaves and Blacks in Africa sold Black people into slavery to White slave traders. The obvious conclusion – nobody has clean hands when it comes to slavery. History cannot be changed no matter how much we protest. It should not be hidden either – Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We only can change the present and the future.

That said, logically, every Confederate soldier and politician was a traitor to America and they should not be honored by statues in public view. However, don't tear them down by mobs. Let all of America have a say and therefore do it legally. It will mean a lot more historically if the majority of Americans stood up and were counted in this process.

What about statues of very important leaders such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson who birthed our nation and preserved it through the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 where America's existence was far from certain, but themselves owned slaves? America owes them their existence so give them their fair due. Be grateful that the Founding Fathers, when they could not after vigorous debate, convince the Southern colonies to give up slavery, gave America the means to amend the Constitution in the future. George Washington did free his slaves in his will, the only slave owning Founder (not all the Founders owned slaves) to do so. Keep their statues, they earned them, but remember both aspects of their history. As to the Lincoln statue with the slave that by some is regarded as demeaning, remember that the statue was erected and paid for by former slaves. Obviously, those former slaves saw nothing wrong with it. Respect that and leave it be.