Sunday Musings 2 weeks before Thanksgiving

I was having a slice of cheese pizza at my old favorite in White Plains yesterday.  They pipe in the local FM station which is a mix of music that appeals to adults of all ages and local news.  They were playing Xmas music.  It is too early.  While I enjoyed it for a minute, I knew that 6 1/2 weeks of endless Xmas music is too much.  I will be sick of hearing it before I eat Turkey and avoid Black Friday.  Black Friday is when you start Xmas music.

Who knew?  I didn't and I know the Tea Party doesn't.  Thomas Jefferson had a copy of the Quran in his library and a new book documents how his study of that book helped develop his sense of religious tolerance.  He wanted Islamic immigration to the U.S.

Meanwhile, there is now documented evidence that hiring managers discriminate against the long term unemployed.  I know many conservatives believe that the long term unemployed just need to get off their derriere and look for a job, but this article shows that it isn't that simple and that creates a political problem for both parties in that these people will drain the safety net in some manner when they could be taxpayers and self-supporting.  Lord knows, I don't have an answer for the long term unemployed because the 53 year old college graduate who worked for 30 years and is now homeless, has been told  "you are too articulate" (to work at McDonalds); "need to speak Spanish" (to clean toilets); "too pretty" (to work in a laundromat); and "we don't hire the unemployed or bankrupt."  And she is not even on welfare and wants to work, but has no health insurance because she doesn't have a permanent address.  I know any one person can have psychological problems, but there are millions of long term unemployed and they do not all have psychological problems.

Unemployment is a trap

Of course, my regular readers will know where this is going.  The House GOP has dusted off their desire for a Farm Bill that maintains Agricultural Subsidies for Farm Producers (who have jobs and make a lot of money) while cutting Food Stamps for people with income below the poverty level (80% to 90%) and 2/3's of recipients are children, elderly or disabled.

There are no limits on the income of farmers who get Ag subsidies so a little bit of means testing might go a long way on this subject while the Free Market Me would just get rid of them entirely.  Even Nicholas Kristoff, who wrote one of the linkages below, gets $588 a year to not grow crops in a forest that intends to keep as a forest.  You think that kind of sh*t would get the GOP to address waste in Agricultural subsidies, but no it does not.  Unbelieveble.

Ag Insanity

More Ag Insanity


And last, a good short overview of Israel's history and current reality.

Israel's Reality