What price for?

$4 billion dollars, that's how much the current government shutdown has cost us. $1 billion dollars every week that passes with the issue unresolved. How very ironic that the amount in dispute is $5.7 billion, that amount will be met one week and three days from now.

What we've been deluded with in regard to illegal immigration isn't supported by any significant factual data, it's a deception. It's the most effective type of deception, one that takes just a pinch of truth and surrounds it with misdirection. These are the most dangerous of them, because they're so easily believed by many.

So are we to believe that for the will of a few, there are hundreds of thousands who are suffering, and potentially millions more in the coming weeks, who will be the ones who truly pay the price for the current child like behavior of our leaders. I said in a prior post that they truly have no regard for us and the truth to that is becoming ever increasingly clear.

What's even more outrageous is the thought that for the interests of the few, the very economy itself was placed at risk. Several economists anticipated a weaker first quarter for the 2019 year, which would be somewhat offset by the tax return season.

$140 billion dollars is injected into the economy each year at tax season, enough to keep the economy stable in a period of weaker activity, but it you take that cushion out from under it...well it doesn't exactly take an economic guru to see how foolish that decision is.

What's more, the presented solution to this hijacking of the people's business is forcing 60% of the employees of the IRS to report to work unpaid to process tax returns. The blatant contempt for the workers is on full display and couldn't be any clearer.

Perhaps those potential consequences hadn't been considered by those making the decisions, but just the willingness of those in power to be so readily willing to flirt with the notion of potentially destroying an entire nation's economy for the sake of interests that could be truly questioned is abhorrent in my opinion.

Where is the display of leadership in that?

-Richard Trotsky

Government Shut Down Who Exactly?

So the government has been shut down, government workers are now without income on account of our elected officials inability to agree on a budget. The main point of contention is the approximately $5 billion dollars in funding proposed for building of the infamous "wall". This stalemate is all on account of the notion of national security.

This comes with a huge degree of irony since the shutdown has adversely affected a system that the Department of Homeland Security maintains for verification of I9 information presented to employers. That system is none other than the E-Verify system. Yes, a system utilized by employers to verify identities is now completely inoperable on account of the government being shut down. How does this in any way benefit national security?

So let's think about this for a second. The money for the "wall" is what's being pressed by the Republicans, which is being opposed by the Democrats, has led to the inability to pass a budget, which led to a temporary government shut down, which has resulted in the shut down of a site used to verify identities. And this benefits national security in what way? Is it only me that sees the absurdity in this entire scenario?

Yes, the E-Verify issue is more of a minor insignificance, and information can be submitted after it's back up and running, however that won't be until the government is operational once again. From appearances, heels are just starting to get dug in, so we'll have to just wait and see how the scenario will play out. However it's not just that limited area that's affected. Yes, essential functionality may still be retained, but who are the ones paying the toll for the inability of the elected to come to a compromise? That would be us, you and I, perhaps not directly, but it does affect us.

Even worse think of those it does directly affect, there are workers who have been forced to work without pay because they're considered "essential" personnel. It's very easy for those who live in castles to be unaffected by the peasants' issues....or be less concerned with them rather. I'm sure there will be those who will bring up national security and illegal immigrants, but statistically the data just doesn't support those declarations.

History is an excellent teacher, and it teaches us that when you venture into other nations and pull the strings of governments and organizations without genuine concern for the people of these nations, the long term result is situations so horrible that thousands risk their lives each year to escape them. There are many reasons that these desperate masses venture to the borders here, yet the origins of these reasons will only be known to those who search for the answers found within history.

Richard Trotsky