Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “I Want What I Want.”
There are four types of greed/jealousy:
We can be slaves to our egos, emotions, and desires, or we can seek to control them and be better than mere animals. We have a soul, a conscience, and the Torah, so the choice should be clear even if not always easy.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So today it was announced that they want to cancel the meager cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase that federal workers were slated to get for 2019.
A mere 2.1% increase in federal pay (compared with a more than 4% projected increase in private sector pay for 2018) is basically just enough to cover inflation for 2018 forecast at 1.9%.
In effect, without the cost of living adjustment, about 2 million federal employees end up with a net decrease of 2% in their standard of living because of inflation and no pay increase to offset.
This is on top of the fiscal year 2011 and 2012 federal pay freeze that President Obama prior enacted.
Why are we picking on the federal workforce when:
1) The U.S. economy is booming at an annual 4.1% increase,
2) Of the $10 trillion tax cuts, 20% is being showered on the wealthiest 1%.
Le’s just call a spade a spade–the pay freeze (i.e. cut after inflation) is really being driven to downsize government by driving employees out.
Many of these are good people, hardworking people, and those that not only serve their nation but also sacrifice for it.
With midterms around the corner and another Presidental election coming in a couple of years, why would you want to alienate 2 million workers instead of getting respect and even greater dedication?
As was written on this simple pair of blue jeans:
“Don’t beat your croutons, you’ll get breadcrumbs.”
In this case, don’t beat up your federal workforce by taking their meager breadcrumbs, to begin with.
Instead, let’s show our appreciation for federal employees service to their country. 😉
(Full disclosure: I am a federal employee and am proud to serve.)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So we stopped in this gallery in Palm Beach.
And there lay this piece of “art”.
Well, I’m not sure–is this really art?
The proprietor explained that this is made up of scrap pieces of metal from the garbage dump like from old discarded automobiles.
The artist welded the garbage together, painted it, and voila there it is–some very pricey art.
Who pricey you ask.
Take a guess.
No really.
No, you’re too low.
Try again.
No, you’re still too low.
Not even in the ballpark.
Okay, I’ll tell you, but only because you asked so nicely.
It starts with a 95.
No, not $9,500.
No, not $95,000 either.
That’s right $950,000!!!
All this “art” can be yours if the price is right.
Can anyone say “irrational exuberance” again? 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Sometimes I come across people with enormous wealth and power.
Many wield it like they own it and deserve it.
I wonder sometimes with billions of other people in the world without adequate food, water, plumbing, medicine, or a solid roof over the heads, how the mighty can think they are above it all.
Do they look around–do they see anyone else but themselves?
They seem drunk with themselves and what they have–and very overconfident.
Worshipping self and all the honor and materialistic success–they forget where it comes from and what they are supposed to be doing with it to help others.
Yet, G-d and His angels can strike in but a split second.
Those that are high and mighty can be brought low and those that are in the depths of despair can be uplifted.
But at the will of G-d Almighty.
At the top, people may erroneously think and come to believe that they are smarter or more deserving–and so what’s theirs is theirs for the taking and keeping.
They think “To hell” with everyone else–they are the little people.
Perhaps, they even come to enjoy squashing them underfoot.
They really believe and savor the power and even think it’s forever.
Yet the wheel of life turns and often abruptly–illness, accidents, misfortune…it comes seemingly from nowhere when G-d breaths justice.
How silly of the powerful and wealthy to think they are the untouchable and the forever mighty.
G-d sees the good and the bad in the people–and ultimately, there is no escape from the King of Kings.
Wealth and power are earthly and fleeting, but the will of G-d is all that endures.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Since the days of slavery, workers have had very little in terms of rights or protections.
The rich and powerful capitalist employers hold all the cards.
Like this poster says:
“Which Shall It Be?
Duke: ‘If you demand your rights, no more crumbs from my table.’
Working Man: ‘Give me my rights and keep your crumbs.'”
The capitalist owners enjoy being able to give “trickle-down economics” to the average working man.
Basically, it’s just crumbs from the rich man’s table.
And if you don’t like it, and you want rights, protections, and more…tough luck, and no more crumbs for you!
But the little guy who breaks his back to earn his daily bread, wants his dignity and respect more than the crumbs from the “capitalist pig” taking advantage of him.
Trickle-down is bullshit!
Crumbs aren’t going to raise the standard of living for the working class.
We need living wages, social and income equality, and workers rights and protections to keep the little guy from being bulldozed by the rich and powerful.
Certainly, there are many rich and powerful people that are good and generous, but not everyone is that that way.
And we can’t have mistreatment of people by those wielding a whip over them.
Yes, workers need to perform and conduct themselves professionally–that is their job.
But workers shouldn’t be taken advantage of with poor wages, little to no benefits, and miserable working conditions (including bullying, harassment, and hostile work environments).
Remember that in life tables can get turned and the rich and powerful can become the poor and the weak.
Therefore, pay and treat your workers as you would want to be paid and treated.
No one is so big as to be untouchable by G-d.
Money and power will not save anyone from illness, accidents, disasters, and misfortune.
The only thing that does save people is good deeds, kind words, compassion, faith, and prayer.
Crumbs are for the birds, dignity and respect are for the people!
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I ran into this lady in downtown Washington, D.C.
She posed for the picture and made sure to line up the top and the bottom posters to get it just right.
It says:
“Not One Penny In Tax Cuts For The Rich”
Makes intuitive sense doesn’t it: the rich already are blessed with…riches!
Any more pennies in their war chest is sort of a drop in the billionaire bucket.
With tax reform is on the table now…we need tax relief for the middle class and to grow the economy.
The rich really do not need to get any richer.
Especially with a national debt over $20 trillion already–and not including future entitlement obligations that exceed projected revenue for social security and medicare, which bring the debt in excess of $70 trillion!).
The gamble with this whole tax reform plan is that the $1.5 trillion or so in proposed tax cuts over 10 years translates into a much bigger economic expansion that makes up for that revenue loss to the government and more.
If not, well then Uncle Sam bet wrong and our annual deficit gets bigger and bigger (already $666 billion in FY 2017).
Tax cuts for the rich today and estate tax cuts to pass wealth between generations–when they impact the top 1% are ridiculously targeted to those who really don’t need it, and many of the decent ones, like Warren Buffet, don’t even want it.
Let’s have a heart and help the people that really need the help–let’s narrow the growing divide between the haves and the have nots, and move to eliminate the class system that elevates one child of G-d over another.
– While some live in McMansions, others are homeless.
– While some eat steak and drink expensive bottles of wine every night, others go hungry and thirsty.
– While some wear fancy designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and different outfits every day, others don’t have a clean shirt on their back.
It’s nice to think that some “deserve it” more than others, but we also have to think who really needs it more.
And if the pennies do ultimately come from Heaven (as all blessings do), then let us distribute these with compassion and lovingkindness as we know our Creator would want us to. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So being a millionaire is no longer anything.
You’re still considered sort of a poor schlub!
Even a billionaire is not such a big deal anymore.
It takes at least $2 billion to make it unto the Forbes 400 Richest Americans List.
Further, a recent episode of CNBC Filthy Rich Guide asks who will become the world’s first trillionaire!
They say trillionaire as in a number with “4 commas”–never really thought of it that way.
…but it’s definitely a big,(1) big,(2) big,(3) big,(4) big number.
Jeff Bezos of Amazon with $90 billion currently in the bank and growing fast is forecasted to be the one who will make it.
So no longer are we betting on which mega corporation–Apple (with a current value of almost $830 billion)–will become the first trillion dollar company.
We are talking individuals with that much moolah too.
So with the median net worth of Americans a measly $69 thousand dollars, it’s no wonder that billionaires like Mr. Wonderful (Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank) calls more than one entreprenuer looking for an investment, a cockroach!
What’s a shame is not only the complete social inequity and class system that we have and that continues to grow with those in McMansions and others homeless, but also that so many can’t see that what’s really important is not the beautiful pocketbook full of money, but the decent soul filled with good deeds! 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So this was a little funny-sad.
We were taking a walk.
And we passed these two houses side by side.
One, this tall stately-looking all brick manicured corner house.
The other, this cozy and sort of beat up little white siding house.
The juxtaposition of these two as neighbors couldn’t have been funnier.
Sort of like strong and determined Rocky and the nebbish that couldn’t.
Listen, there isn’t anything objectively wrong with the little older white house.
Taken by itself, it may actually be a nice place to live–as I said, it’s sort of charming (even while the other is commanding)!
But when you put it against the big new brick fellow, it’s just a story of relative deprivation ready to be intensely felt.
Both have a roof over their heads…and both in the same nice neighborhood.
Yet neighbor and neighbor–but for no reason, one ends up feeling probably a little shitty–that’s putting it in comparison, of course. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So we’re in the mall, and right when you walk through the doors is a car in the entrance hall.
This one is a lovely two-tone 2016 Rolls Royce.
At just a measly $384,025!
Honestly, the car looked awesome.
This was no Hyundai or Yugo.
The thing looked like a tank of art on wheels.
What is amazing is that such an expensive car is on display in the mall…I mean who is the demographic they are trying to appeal to for this?
Well maybe it’s not that bad, since another sign advertises a lease option for just $3,469 per month plus tax for 48 months with $30,000 due at signing…so that still runs you over $50K per year to drive this thing.
Well I guess if you earnings millions, what’s the big deal anyway!
And out of curiosity, as of 2009, almost a quarter million IRS filings (people and households) show earning of that much or more…nice for them, huh. 😉
(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)
I am not sure what this art was supposed to represent outside the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.
But to me, this scene looked almost like a reenactment of enslavement.
I remember seeing similar type photos of presumed harshly treated black slaves who were forced to build the White House and the Capitol.
Sure, we are fortunate to have jobs for people in this country.
Yet, seeing these workers bending over and shoveling in hard labor and in 91 degree heat this week at the feet of this great statue just seemed more than a little demeaning and telling of where we unfortunately still are as a country.
Freedom and human rights means for everyone!
Decent jobs, wages, housing, food, healthcare and education, should be for everyone!
Maybe it’s a great thing that we are advancing with automation and robots that can do the jobs that people shouldn’t have to do.
So people can do and be treated as human beings and not as robot slaves. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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