What's Up With My Phone?

I have a smart phone. 

Supposedly, one of the elite ones that you often see in commercials. And I have been loyal to this brand for years. At first it works great and I am so happy with it, but over time, around its second anniversary, or at a certain time of year, it starts to act weird. It drops calls, gets stuck and freezes, and sometimes the volume changes. Several of my friends, with the same phone have noticed the same thing. Cellular carriers do not matter, the phones fail to perform.

When my phone acts up, I have to concentrate on other things, and I pay greater attention to what is going on in the world. I wonder how many other Americans are experiencing weird phones and will spend time focusing on other things including world events? Or will they concede to their addictions and decide to buy the latest models that will be coming out in a few days.

It says a lot about a nation that cries poor and then purchases cell phones at or near $1000. We care more about our phones than we do about the normalities of life! Think about it!

America lost several national treasures last week and that garnered my attention. Aretha Franklin and John McCain transitioned and the nation lost generational icons. Their lives stand in sharp contrast with what we were and what we have so rapidly become. 

Switching subjects, the politics of guns, violence and non-documented people is coming to a head. The president is predicting violence if a blue wave occurs in November. What does he know that we don't? Watching local news indicates that violence is a daily event. Is there going to be more violence? Why?

I was hoping that there would be a flurry of legislative action before the mid-term elections or actions to set the stage for post-election reform. Instead, it is the same old stagnation. Ironically, Labor Day has come and we are still hearing about how the American worker is doing better, but we lack the definitive proof. And this week, during his confirmation hearings, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will face questions on his decisions against non-documented workers and employer's responsibilities guaranteeing worker safety. Will a Justice Kavanaugh protect American workers?

The great tax cuts have not worked. Many Americans are still working multiple jobs to survive. Statistical data has not indicated significant wage increases. President Trump announced, in light of growing budget deficits which are clearly attributed to the cuts, he was not going to give government workers a raise. Suddenly, with some prodding, he changed his mind as Republican politicians realized that he had announced this policy too close to an election. However, I doubt those increases are forthcoming. Meanwhile Americans are having individual personal recessions. For instance, in New Jersey, tax cuts and a budget deficit have led to another increase in the state's gasoline tax. Nationally, tariffs, proposed and already enacted, are already pushing prices upward. The proposed revision to NAFTA, without Canada, is going to hurt some American companies and workers. Just look at the decisions by Ford to reverse some policies after just announcing that they were going to transition from selling sedans to SUVs.

These are all signs that the "new normal" is basically the "old normal". The rhetoric might be different, but we are still going to have massive income inequality and limited economic growth. In contrast, America still needs gun reform, prison reform and immigration reform. Jobs and economics seem to be the connection between violence and a safer nation. Despite the decreasing crime rate, more people are going to prison. And despite a decrease of crime, our visualization of crime, especially shootings and rape seem to be increasing.

The economy is "growing daily", but the need to keep wages low is gaining momentum. Illegal immigration is being fueled by corporate greed and not sympathy for poorly treated people. Corporate interests remain attached to supporting non-documented workers and paying low wages. In many communities, unskilled day workers, typically Latino men, line street corners waiting for trucks to carry them off to construction projects, factories or agricultural settings. Their efforts under cut unionized workers and guarantee low wages for the non-unionized labor. For those not finding prospects in the new economy, there are always avenues to criminal enterprises, especially in gangs. Gang wars, whether domestic or international, escalate the need for weapons and they often lead to the death of innocents caught in the crossfire. And in some cases, undocumented workers are involved in crimes that create massive headlines and social complications. 

"Pay Attention to the Killing of Mollie Tibbets" in the New York Times (Friday August 24th) by Chris Buskirk argues that some politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, lack an understanding of the symbolism behind this tragic death. It is becoming more obvious to him, and I concur, that if illegal residents are brought to America, and they commit crimes, that our nation's immigration policies will encourage the types of rhetoric that made Donald Trump president. Mr. Buskirk believes that we are on the verge of a major crisis. 

He states: "Much of American agriculture relies on foreign laborers, often in the country illegally, because attracting American citizens to those jobs would mean paying them more — and employers don’t want to do that. Trump has spoken about raising the real wages of working-class Americans and establishing the conditions for employment security and higher pay, for which border security is a predicate. Establishment Republicans of the Ryan-Flake genus don’t prioritize protecting our borders or the interests of American workers because they misunderstand and misapply libertarian ideas — and they are cowed by corporate interests dependent upon cheap labor. Unfortunately, this has become the norm."

Andrew Yang takes a different approach to this issue. His article for Business Insider  (September 1st) declares that "Success in America has nothing to do with hard work - and we're in the middle of a 'war on normal people'". A poignant part of the article describes a booming area of investment - trailer parks. Consider that image, a trailer park is the lowest level of home ownership in the nation. Its growth does not suggest that the nation is "winning", but rather some individuals within the nation are doing very well.  American companies will continue to support immigrant labor, whether legal or illegal, and push for automation to reduce costs. 

The war against "normal people" is intensified against poorer minorities. Typically, when people of color are affected by corporate or government policies, many white Americans simply look the other way. New York City's Housing Authority is providing terrible services to largely black and brown residents. Apartments are lined with lead paint, and lack water, gas and heat. Tainted water is flowing throughout New Jersey's major urban areas. Water fountains in Newark's public schools, for example, had to be shut off.  

And when violence is directed at black and brown people, the national reaction is not the same. The horrific and violent death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Ortiz in June was a case of mistaken identity. More than a dozen gang members hacked the teenager to death with machetes. However, it was not MS-13, and it was in the Bronx and not Trump Country, so the White House did not respond.  And, in solidly Democratic Chicago where gang-relation violence on the city's west side has led to hundred of shootings during the summer, the White House has not reacted. I would venture to safely state that there are some illegal residents involved in those situations, but these events will not spark a politicalization of the need for jobs or a declaration of war on these gangs. Race remains the critical factor, and it appears that hundreds of Juniors can die without remedy, but a Mollie might spark a revolution that can save the next Junior.

Finally, Kanye West offered some new opinions on President Trump. He claims that Donald Trump cares about what African Americans think of him. These comments take center stage as more damaging information emerges, including the Omarosa book and tapes, the Woodward book and tapes, the Manafort verdict, the Cohen plea deal, and the more recent New York Times Op-Ed piece on the resistance within the White House. Trump and the Republicans may need the support of black voters, but that is looking very unlikely as more African Americans and Latinos win in Democratic primaries. A colored wave is coming in American politics!

Current events also seem to suggest that Americans will get a true Constitutional lesson before 2020. What role will the Supreme Court play in the outcome, and is that being decided this very week? And ultimately, does public opinion count? 

The larger question facing us is what will the Mueller report reveal? And should we accept his findings? So, if Mr. Trump committed crimes before becoming president, even if it helped him become president, should he be impeached? This question is now the focus of Trump's connection to David Pecker and the Enquirer, which published fake stories about the health and motivations of the Clinton campaign during the months before the election, and killed off damaging stories about candidate Trump that could have harmed his chances.

So it seems that my phone sheltered me from the world - a lot of stuff is going on! This outside world seems like a very confusing and dangerous place.  I've got to go - I think I need to go to the phone store before it closes!