Some Things Wrong With Life in the USA

I know: everybody knows some things. 

I don't have simple solutions (In the face of this Trump-type disaster, all these things pale into insignificance.   But it's still useful to keep an eye on these smallish problems, on the off chance that we can surmount this Maga disaster).

I was just reading a post about a programme in the Netherlands, where they show kids how to repair broken toys.  An adult volunteer fixes their toy equipment while they watch.   Someone had made a comment: It will never work in the US; they'll have to first pry their phones out of their hands!

At first I was sadly agreeing with that attitude; a large proportion of the families we know find it easier to succumb to the kids demand for phones, than to resist them.  Honestly, I don't know how to deal with that problem; cell phones weren't invented when my daughter was a kid. 

Then I thought: the diversity of family cultures in the US is really vast.  We see little kids with their eyes glued to their cellphones all around us, and we assume that it's a universal thing, but I'm willing to bet that in some homes, giving kids cellphones is not a thing taken for granted.  

Part of the problem—at least in families where both parents work—is that both parents are really exhausted when they come home after work.  I'm convinced this is an American thing; in some countries, workplaces do not extract every bit of productivity from every worker, so that parents can come home with some energy left over to give their kids. 

There is, evidently, a place in Tucson, AZ, where kids can repair their toys or equipment in a sort of workshop environment.

Unfortunately, we're only too quick to speak out on behalf our employers, that the slave labor conditions at work are right and proper, and ordained by God. 

Arch

Some Immigrants are More Equal than Others

Everybody seems agreed that we should put the brakes on the volume of illegal immigrants coming across the southern border.   I don't want to imply that all illegal immigrants come across the southern border, but—the public generally wants to slow down their numbers, or stop them entirely. 

Then, many voters don't want the total volume of immigrants to remain this high.  There was a feeling that recent administrations were lax about immigrants in general. 

A third class of immigrants is skilled immigrants, who present their special qualifications or training as part of their case for being granted immigrant status. 

Well, a lot Trump's helpers in the administration seem to be of this description, and chief among them is, of course, Musk.  As Musk stretches the limits of the tolerance for skilled immigrants among the population, might xenophobic Republicans begin to view all women and minorities in the Trump camp with disfavor and dislike?  Tulsa Gabbard, Vivek Kumaraswamy, Kash Patel are all among Trump Administration members who might be viewed as targets of the recent conservative hostility: women, birthright citizenship, skilled immigrants, etc. 

One group that has escaped particular notice is the group that shows large capital resources, which qualified them to be citizens because of their capital resources.  Musk seems to be one of those. 

But of course, Trump has prided himself on being inconsistent.  'Keep 'em guessing,' has been his motto.  But his supporters are far more consistent, at least on some matters.  This might spell problems for the Republicans in future elections. 

Arch

Post-game Excitement

So, some excited Eagles fans have indulged in vandalism in Philly.  I hope they're satisfied.  They probably played up to impress their women, but it's quite possible those women are quite unimpressed. 

Some guys like to pretend that, after a couple of beers they lose control.  Probably just pretense; they're probably fine. 

I wonder whether the police report any incidents of DUI after the game. 

Arch

Tariffs, Lions and Tigers (Oh My)

Well, our dear brand-new President sort of won this most recent election by promising to stir up the international trade pot with, of course, tariffs, the favorite word of certain people.

Well, so far there has been so much push back against tariffs that he's yet to find tarrifs that he can use, for fun and profit. 

Musk, meanwhile, is muscleing-in into high security areas, such as the Treasury, and IRS databases, and this will cause no end of trouble for the anti-maga crowd, because of the potential for retaliatory actions.  Unfortunately, the sensible people in Congress are too old, and too tired, to put up much resistance.  The younger elements of the Democrats have been strongly discredited as 'ultra left', etc, (sometimes by the moderate Dems themselves,) and aren't really knowledgeable enough to fight the technological battles that will soon be taking place. 

Unless people in the Trump camp keep a leash on Musk and his teams, there might be nothing left in the US treasury for Trump to pillage after the genie gets his hands on it.  (And if all the gold is converted into Bitcoin, we won't know what to do with it, anyway!)

It's possible, because of how dangerous Trump's cronies are, magaboy might be headed—ultimately—to the poorhouse.  But it's sad that he'll take a lot of the vulnerable rural, uneducated, unvaccinated poor with him. 

Arch