OCTOBER 4, 5, AND 6, 2018

NEWS AND VIEWS

NOTE TO REPUBLICANS – WE MAY BE DOWN, BUT WE AIN’T DEAD! WATCH YOUR STEP IN THE FUTURE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brett-kavanaughs-nomination-could-have-a-huge-impact-on-midterm-elections/
By CHIP REID CBS NEWS October 5, 2018, 6:49 PM
Brett Kavanaugh's nomination could have huge impact on midterm elections

Update: The Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Saturday October 6, with a final vote of 50-48.

Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court — and likely confirmation — could have a huge impact on midterm elections, now about a month away.

On Friday, reaction to Sen. Susan Collin's speech in support of Kavanaugh was immediate from Maine Democrats. It was another indication of the intensity felt on both sides of the debate.

In Rochester, Minnesota, on Thursday, the line for President Trump's rally seemed endless, and so was the anger toward Democrats over their treatment of Kavanaugh.

"Voting is going to be a high turnout, just because of what the Democrats are doing. I think they've pissed people off and they kind of dug their own grave," one person said.

Inside the arena, Mr. Trump echoed that thought.

Election 2018 Trump
President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Mayo Civic Center, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018, in Rochester, Minn. EVAN VUCCI / AP

"Their rage-fueled resistance is starting to backfire at a level that nobody has ever seen before," he said.

That's an exaggeration. But one new poll shows that the enthusiasm gap in favor of Democrats has shrunk from 10 percent to 2 percent.

"Democrats say they'd be angry if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed. Republicans said they'd be angry if he wasn't," said Anthony Salvanto, CBS News' director of elections and surveys. "So the question now would be if Democrats can turn that anger into turnout and sustain that motivation into November."

Democrats outside the rally said they're not just angry -- they're mad as hell.

"We believe Dr. Ford. People don't just come forward for no reason," said Newell Mott.

They said they're furious that President Trump mocked Christine Blasey Ford's emotional testimony.

"How did you get there? I don't remember. Where is the place? I don't remember. How many years ago was it? I don't know," Mr. Trump said.

"The blue wave is coming," said Julie Fryer. "It is coming and I think they need to realize we're not going to stand by any longer."

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


NOW HERE’S ONE OF THE REALLY NICE GUYS! THE TROUBLE WITH REPUBLICANS IS THAT MOST OF THEM HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE NICE GUYS – NICE GUYS FINISH LAST, ETC. THEIR MOTTO – FIGHT HARD AND FIGHT DIRTY! THAT’S THE AMERICAN WAY IN THEIR VIEW. THAT’S WHY AMERICA IS NOT THE FRIEND TO ALL THAT WE LIKE TO CLAIM WE ARE. NOW THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE LINKED UP WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN, WE’LL SEE JUST HOW BAD THINGS GET FOR THE PEOPLE HERE. I’LL CERTAINLY KEEP MY EYES OPEN FOR GOP NEWS.

THE NEXT TWO STORIES ARE ABOUT HOW THE DEMS ARE FARING IN THE GALLUP POLL.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/243539/americans-maintain-positive-view-bernie-sanders.aspx
OCTOBER 5, 2018
Americans Maintain a Positive View of Bernie Sanders
BY JUSTIN MCCARTHY

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
53% view the Vermont senator favorably, 38% unfavorably
Nearly four in five Democrats have a positive view of Sanders
Ocasio-Cortez's ratings are mixed, and half of Americans don't know her

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sen. Bernie Sanders is still viewed favorably by a small majority of Americans (53%) as he continues to be arguably the most prominent advocate for progressive policies in the U.S.

Line graph showing Sanders’ favorability since March 2015 among all adults.

Sanders' name recognition was fairly low a month before he announced his run for president in 2015 -- 76% of Americans had no opinion of him or had never heard of him. But today, that figure is down to 9%.

In the more than three years Gallup has tracked Sanders' favorability, his favorable ratings have consistently outweighed his unfavorable ones -- only twice were they tied. Since February 2016, shortly after Sanders' victory in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, his positive ratings began regularly outpacing his negative ratings by double digits, and majorities of Americans have viewed him favorably since June 2016.

In Gallup's most recent poll, conducted Sept. 4-12, Sanders has a much more favorable image than either of the other major contenders in the 2016 presidential election -- Hillary Clinton (36%) and President Donald Trump (41%).

Since the election, Sanders has gone on to use his political pulpit to champion progressive causes, including calling on McDonald's and Amazon to raise their minimum wages to $15, pushing for procedural changes in the Democratic Party's nomination process, introducing a bill to break up large banks and continuing to push for "Medicare for all" healthcare legislation.

After Sanders' advocacy of progressive views on the campaign trail and in the two years since, Gallup recently found that Democrats now view socialism more favorably than they do capitalism. However, given Republicans' low positive ratings of socialism, Americans overall remain negative in their views of socialism.

Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, is most popular among Democrats (78%), as would be expected, but a majority of independents (54%) also view him favorably. Meanwhile, more than twice as many Republicans view him unfavorably (69%) as favorably (26%).

Sanders' ratings are mixed among whites, with nearly half viewing him favorably and half unfavorably. But, consistent with their more Democratic political orientation, nearly two in three nonwhites (64%) have a positive view of Sanders.

Majorities of U.S. adults aged 18 to 34 (59%) and 35 to 54 (58%) view Sanders favorably, while his image is about mixed among Americans over the age of 55.

Sanders' Favorable Ratings, by Group
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
%
%
%
National adults 53 38 9
Republicans 26 69 5
Independents 54 35 12
Democrats 78 14 7
Whites 49 46 5
Nonwhites 64 21 15
18 to 34 59 33 8
35 to 54 58 32 10
55 and older 45 47 8
GALLUP, SEPT. 4-12, 2018

Half of Americans Don't Know Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Sanders may have been the catalyst for socialist ideas percolating into recent political campaigns -- at least 46 candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America have won primaries in federal, state and local elections this year.

Likely the most well-known such candidate is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who toppled a prominent Democrat in New York's 14th Congressional District that encompasses parts of Queens and the Bronx. The 28-year-old had been an organizer for Sanders' presidential campaign before mounting her own campaign for Congress.

Ocasio-Cortez is now known by half of Americans, with opinions about her split about evenly between favorable (24%) and unfavorable (26%) views.

Given the heavily Democratic nature of the 14th District, Ocasio-Cortez is likely on her way to a victory in November, and will join House Democrats. She is viewed much more favorably by Democrats (42%) than she is by independents (24%) and Republicans (5%). Half of Republicans, 52%, view her unfavorably.

Like Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez's favorability is higher among nonwhites (31%) than whites (20%), but still, about half of each group is unfamiliar with her.

Though Ocasio-Cortez's name recognition is lowest among adults aged 18 to 34, this is one of the groups she performs best with -- she has a positive net favorable rating, with a quarter of younger adults viewing her favorably versus 13% unfavorably. Meanwhile, views of Ocasio-Cortez are mixed among 35- to 54-year-olds (26% favorable vs. 27% unfavorable) and skew negative among Americans aged 55 and older (23% favorable vs. 35% unfavorable).

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Favorable Ratings
Next, we'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of that person -- or if you have never heard of them. How about Congressional candidate from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
%
%
%
National adults 24 26 50
Republicans 5 52 43
Independents 24 22 52
Democrats 42 9 49
Whites 20 29 50
Nonwhites 31 20 49
18 to 34 25 13 63
35 to 54 26 27 47
55 and older 23 35 40
GALLUP, SEPT. 4-12, 2018

Bottom Line
Bernie Sanders' positive image remains similar to what it was when his presidential campaign ended, and it's arguable that his message has taken on greater meaning for many Democrats during the Trump presidency as they search for leadership while out of power.

Sanders' age complicates his potential for running for president again -- he would turn 79 just before the 2020 election -- but nevertheless, some supporters remain hopeful he'll run again against Trump. What's more certain is that Sanders' ideas have influenced a new generation of like-minded candidates, with Ocasio-Cortez marking an important, though small, victory.

Ocasio-Cortez likely doesn't need national recognition to remain popular in her New York City congressional district, in which she is likely to go from constituent to congresswoman. While she pledges to make a big impact on House Democratic leadership, she'll have to do so with fairly low recognition among her own party's rank-and-file nationally. Still, her current 50% recognition is fairly high for a winner of a single congressional primary race. But her political career is still young, as is she, so it's too soon to say what will come for Ocasio-Cortez when (and, technically, if) she arrives on Capitol Hill.

Though candidates like Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez represent a shift in how Democrats view socialism and socialist ideas, they may find it a tougher sell outside Vermont and Queens, as the majority of Americans remain negative in their views of socialism.

View complete question responses and trends.

Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.


THE DEMS ON SOCIALISM/CAPITALISM – GALLUP POLL

https://news.gallup.com/poll/240725/democrats-positive-socialism-capitalism.aspx?g_source=link_newsv9&g_campaign=item_243539&g_medium=copy
BY FRANK NEWPORT
POLITICS
AUGUST 13, 2018

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
47% of Democrats view capitalism positively, down from 56% in 2016
57% of Democrats now view socialism positively, little changed from 2010
Republicans very positive about capitalism; 16% positive on socialism

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For the first time in Gallup's measurement over the past decade, Democrats have a more positive image of socialism than they do of capitalism. Attitudes toward socialism among Democrats have not changed materially since 2010, with 57% today having a positive view. The major change among Democrats has been a less upbeat attitude toward capitalism, dropping to 47% positive this year -- lower than in any of the three previous measures. Republicans remain much more positive about capitalism than about socialism, with little sustained change in their views of either since 2010.

Views About Capitalism and Socialism: by Party
Positive view of capitalism Positive view of socialism
%
%
Democrats/Leaners
2018 47 57
2016 56 58
2012 55 53
2010 53 53
Republicans/Leaners
2018 71 16
2016 68 13
2012 72 23
2010 72 17
GALLUP

These results are from Gallup interviewing conducted July 30-Aug. 5. Views of socialism among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are particularly important in the current political environment because many observers have claimed the Democratic Party is turning in more of a socialist direction.

Socialist Bernie Sanders competitively challenged Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, and more recently, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a candidate with similar policy views and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won the Democratic nomination in New York's 14th Congressional District. Several candidates with socialist leanings lost their primary bids in Aug. 7 voting, however, raising doubts about the depth of Democrats' embrace of socialism.

The current survey is the fourth time Gallup has measured Americans' overall views of capitalism and socialism in this format. The question wording does not define "socialism" or "capitalism" but simply asks respondents whether their opinion of each is positive or negative.

Democrats' and Republicans' sharply contrasting views of the two economic systems are not unexpected, given the history of the two parties. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have notably positive views of capitalism and negative views of socialism. Democrats, by contrast, are less unified in their views, but by 10 percentage points are more positive about socialism than about capitalism.

Fewer Than Half of Young Americans View Capitalism Positively

Americans aged 18 to 29 are as positive about socialism (51%) as they are about capitalism (45%). This represents a 12-point decline in young adults' positive views of capitalism in just the past two years and a marked shift since 2010, when 68% viewed it positively. Meanwhile, young people's views of socialism have fluctuated somewhat from year to year, but the 51% with a positive view today is the same as in 2010.

Older Americans have been consistently more positive about capitalism than socialism. For those 50 and older, twice as many currently have a positive view of capitalism as of socialism.

Views About Capitalism and Socialism: by Age
Positive view of capitalism Positive view of socialism
%
%
18-29
2018 45 51
2016 57 55
2012 56 49
2010 68 51
30-49
2018 58 41
2016 54 37
2012 65 42
2010 58 36
50-64
2018 60 30
2016 69 27
2012 64 36
2010 64 31
65+
2018 60 28
2016 63 24
2012 57 26
2010 54 30
GALLUP
Taken as a Whole, Americans More Positive About Capitalism

A majority of Americans have retained a positive view of capitalism over the past eight years, but this year's 56% positive rating is by four points the lowest recorded since 2010. This modest drop in positive attitudes toward capitalism was driven, as reviewed above, by the less positive attitudes among Democrats.

Despite the increasing prominence of socialism in the public discourse in recent years, little has changed in Americans' attitudes toward the concept at the national level. Americans' positive views of socialism have varied only between 35% and 39%, with this year's reading of 37% right at the trend average.

Line graph. Americans have been more positive about capitalism than socialism since 2010.
Americans Remain Most Positive About Small Business, Entrepreneurs

The Gallup question asking Americans about their views of capitalism and socialism included five other entities: big business, small business, entrepreneurs, the federal government and free enterprise.

As in the past, Americans are most positive about small business, entrepreneurs and free enterprise, and less so about big business. Views of the federal government are, along with views of socialism, the least positive of any of the seven concepts measured.

Americans' positive views of several of the eight items tested are slightly less positive this year than in 2016, including a six-point drop in positive views of free enterprise.

Just off the top of your head, would you say you have a positive or negative image of each of the following?
% Positive
2016 2018 Change
%
%
pct. pts.
Small business 96 92 -4
Entrepreneurs 87 86 -1
Free enterprise 85 79 -6
Capitalism 60 56 -4
Big business 53 50 -3
The federal government 44 39 -5
Socialism 35 37 +2
GALLUP
As might be expected, Republicans are significantly more positive than Democrats about free enterprise and big business, consistent with their more positive views of capitalism. There are smaller differences in partisan views of small business and entrepreneurs (both groups are quite positive toward these) as well as the federal government (with well less than half of both groups holding positive views).

Bottom Line

A majority of Democrats have viewed socialism positively each time Gallup has measured the concept since 2010, and -- despite the increased visibility given to the concept this year -- those views have not changed substantively. But the drop in Democrats' positive views of capitalism this year has for the first time left Democrats more positive about socialism as a concept than about capitalism.

It's possible that the drop in Democrats' positive views of capitalism is related to Donald Trump's presidency. Trump is an enthusiastic capitalist, and his administration's efforts to roll back regulations on business and industry, as well as the tax cut law that is advantageous to businesses and corporations, may have caused Democrats to view the entire capitalist enterprise with less positive eyes.

The talk about the Democratic Party moving more toward socialist policies in its platforms in this year's midterm elections was muted with the failure of several socialist candidates to capture their party's nomination in recent primary voting. And, although a majority -- even if not an overwhelming one -- of Democrats nationwide react positively to the word "socialism," the strong antipathy toward socialism among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents suggests a political campaign favorable to socialism would not play well in a general election.

Socialism as a concept is open to many interpretations. Gallup was describing socialism in questions asked in the 1940s in terms of government ownership of businesses -- something that Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and most other left-leaning Democratic candidates have not advocated. Instead, socialism today seems to embody sets of programs by which the government helps regulate and in some instances run and pay for social programs focused on basic population needs in health, education, housing and employment.

Socialism clearly sounds better as a concept to young people than to those who are older, as it has over the past eight years. Evidence for this is found in the strong support younger voters gave Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign (despite his septuagenarian status) and in the candidacy of Ocasio-Cortez (who is herself 28 years old). Whether the appeal of socialism to young adults is a standard function of idealism at that age that dissipates as one grows older, or will turn out to be a more permanent part of the political beliefs held by the cohort of millennials who have come of age over the past decade, remains to be seen.

SURVEY METHODS
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted July 30-Aug. 5, 2018, on the Gallup U.S. Poll, with a random sample of 1,505 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.

Learn more about how the Gallup U.S. Poll works.


HERE IS A VERY GOOD PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE SUPREME COURT IN THIS NEW LIGHT AS REPUBLICAN TOOLS, OR SO THEY COULD POSSIBLY BEHAVE. MAYBE THAT WON’T HAPPEN, BUT I HAVE MY DOUBTS. I DON’T FOR A MOMENT BELIEVE THAT KAVANAUGH IS ANYTHING APPROACHING “UNBIASED.” FROM MSNBC:

http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/fbi-s-kavanaugh-review-was-limited-from-the-start-the-new-york-times-reports-1338382915520?v=raila&.



I’M SURPRISED THERE ARE NO MORE PROTESTORS HERE THAN I SEE. NONETHELESS, I’M SURE THE NEWS WILL BE HOPPING WITH CONTROLLED DISORDER UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION AND BEYOND. THAT IS AS IT SHOULD BE, IN MY OPINION.

https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/protesters-swarm-door-of-supreme-court-1338470467899?v=raila&


I WISH PEOPLE WOULD VOTE RATHER THAN EXPRESSING THEIR DISCONTENT IN WAYS LIKE THIS. I ALSO APPROVE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS, OF COURSE. I’M GLAD THE POLICE CAUGHT HIM EARLIER THAN IN THE PAST (20 PLUS YEARS AGO, I THINK) WHEN THE ANTHRAX POISONER WAS SENDING OUT LETTERS WITH THE MYSTERIOUS WHITE POWDER IN THEM. NOT LONG AFTER THAT A COPYCAT WHO WANTED TO CASH IN ON THE CELEBRITY STATUS STARTED SENDING BABY POWDER IN ENVELOPES TO POLITICIANS. HE SEEMED TO SPECIALIZE IN GOING AFTER THE LIBERALS, THOUGH. RICIN IS ONE OF THE DEADLIER NATURAL POISONS THAT EXISTS WHEN MISUSED. IN THE PAST IT WAS USED MEDICALLY AS A PURGATIVE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/william-clyde-allen-arrested-suspected-of-sending-threatening-letters-with-ricin-ingredient-to-pentagon-white-house/
CBS/AP October 3, 2018, 6:15 PM
Feds arrest man suspected of sending threatening letters to Pentagon, White House

Federal authorities have arrested a man in Logan, Utah, suspected of mailing of threatening letters addressed to the Pentagon and the White House, some of which initially tested positive for the poison ricin. Subsequent tests determined the mailings contained castor oil, an ingredient used to manufacture ricin, according to two federal officials.

William Clyde Allen III was taken into custody in Utah on Wednesday, two days after the packages and letters were discovered at mailing facilities. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City said federal charges were expected to be filed Friday.

The FBI said Wednesday that agents and law enforcement partners conducted an operation in Utah and potentially hazardous chemicals were involved. Individuals were asked to stay away from the area, but the Logan City Police Department said there was "no wider threat to public safety at this time."

None of the threatening mailings reached the Pentagon or White House.

Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said Wednesday afternoon that the substance addressed to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson was castor seeds. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if castor seeds are swallowed, ricin can be released and cause injury.

The letter addressed to Mattis, who is currently out of the country, also contained a five-by-eight inch card with handwriting on it, but the content has not been made public. Ricin can cause death in 36 to 72 hours and can only be manufactured deliberately.

Pat Milton and Jeff Pegues contributed reporting.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


“WE CAN CONFIRM THAT ALL HOURLY OPERATIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE EMPLOYEES WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR TOTAL COMPENSATION AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT,” THE STATEMENT ADDED. “IN ADDITION, BECAUSE IT’S NO LONGER INCENTIVE-BASED, THE COMPENSATION WILL BE MORE IMMEDIATE AND PREDICTABLE.”

TOTAL COMPENSATION: “ALL OF YOUR INCOME SOURCES WILL BE ADDED TOGETHER AND DIVIDED UP IN THE COMPANY LEDGER SO THAT IT WILL TOTAL $15.00 AN HOUR.” IT WON’T BE IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, THOUGH. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR THE WORKER WHO HOVERS JUST OVER THE POVERTY LEVEL, WILL HE BE ABLE TO PAY HIS BILLS MONTHLY AND HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER FOR A NEW HAT, NO MATTER WHAT HIS STOCK OPTIONS ARE?

I PROBABLY WOULDN’T; NOT UNLESS WE GET THAT “GUARANTEED ANNUAL INCOME,” THAT SANDERS HAS MENTIONED AT LEAST ONCE RECENTLY. THAT’S BASICALLY WHAT I HAVE WITH SOCIAL SECURITY, AND ITS IN MY ACCOUNT EVERY MONTH, SO I CAN PLAN WHAT TO DO WITH IT, INCLUDING A SMALL SAVINGS. THEN, IF THERE ARE STOCK OPTIONS OR A BONUS IN ADDITION, THAT WOULD BE VERY NICE. A STATED QUANTITY PER HOUR SHOULDN’T BE HIDDEN FROM THE WORKER, THOUGH. SOME OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, DON’T DO MATH EASILY OR WELL. I KNOW. THAT’S A PART OF WHY WE’RE POOR.

I JUST WANT TO GET A MINIMUM AND RELIABLE $15.00 AN HOUR, WITH A RETIREMENT PLAN, COMPANY STOCK AND HEALTH INSURANCE ETC. IN ADDITION TO THAT. DON’T TAKE A VARIABLE ANNUAL INCOME AND DIVIDE IT UP TO EQUAL A PROMISED THEORETICAL AMOUNT, IF I HAVE BEEN PROMISED $15.00 AN HOUR. WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT YES, OUR INCOME DEFINITELY SHOULD BE “DEPENDABLE” IF WE ARE WORKING FULL TIME, AND EVEN IF WE AREN’T, THE HOURLY WAGE SHOULD BE THERE IN MY PAYCHECK.

THIS IS THE KIND OF LAWYERLY AND BUSINESS-BASED THINKING THAT MAKES ME DISTRUST BUSINESSES AND A GREAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THEM. LOOK AT THE WEASEL WORDS HERE. INCENTIVE BASED MEANS THAT IF YOU DON’T SELL OR PACKAGE AS MANY OF SAID OBJECTS HOURLY AS WE ASK FOR, YOU WILL NOT GET THE $10.00 AN HOUR OR SO IN CASH PUT INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT THAT WE WERE PROMISED IN OUR PROMO AD; BUT SOMETHING LIKE $8.00, INSTEAD. TOUGH LUCK.

THAT’S HOW LOW-INCOME WORKERS HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN PAID, AND OFTEN IN CASH. NOW, AS THIS SAYS, YOU WILL REALLY GET MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT, WON’T HAVE TO SELL SOME STOCK TO REALIZE AN INCOME. NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL WAGES AND PAY. I REALIZE THAT MANAGERS GET STOCK OPTIONS, BUT THAT ISN’T THEIR ONLY PAY, AND THEY ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE SOME “MONEY” TO PAY FOR EXTRAS OR EMERGENCIES IN ONE OF THEIR SEVERAL ACCOUNTS.

I REALIZE AS I AM READING THE WORDS I JUST WROTE, THAT I THINK LIKE AN HOURLY WORKER ABOUT MONEY, WHICH IS MY DOWNFALL IN THE MONEY\PERSONAL WEALTH AREA. “WEALTH” IS ANOTHER WORD THAT TO ME MEANS ONE THING – A LARGE QUANTITY OF MONEY. IF ALL I HAVE IS A POVERTY-LEVEL INCOME TO FALL BACK ON, AND THERE ISN’T ENOUGH FOR MEANINGFUL SAVINGS; THAT IS “POVERTY,” NOT “WEALTH.” ALL OF THOSE MONEY ADS ON THE INTERNET WRITTEN TO HOOK IN GULLIBLE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR AN AMAZING INVESTMENT DEAL, ARE MOST LIKELY A FRAUD; AND WILL INEVITABLY USE THE TERM “WEALTH.”

THERE WAS A STATEMENT IN AN ARTICLE SOMETIME WITHIN THELAST YEAR OR SO THAT OUR ECONOMY MAY PHASE OUT THE USE OF “MONEY.” I TAKE THAT TO MEAN NO COINS, NO PAPER MONEY, JUST PLASTIC. I WANT PLASTIC, BUT I ALSO WANT TEN OR TWENTY DOLLARS TO CARRY AROUND IN CASE I GET STRANDED SOMEWHERE AND CAN’T USE IT, OR IN CASE MY ACCOUNT IS EMPTY.

IN SHORT, IN THE PRACTICAL WORLD, STOCK OPTIONS AREN’T, IMMEDIATELY AT ANY RATE, VERY USEFUL. MAYBE I JUST DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO PLAN MY EVERY MOVE TO THAT DEGREE. IN OTHER WORDS, I DON’T WANT TO NEED AN ACCOUNTANT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT I CAN AFFORD TO GO SHOPPING. MY GOAL IN SAYING ALL THAT IS TO DISTINGUISH THE VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THE POOR AND THE RICH THINK. I HAVE TO VIEW MY ECONOMIC LIFE AS BEING A MATTER OF “CAN I, OR CAN’T I?” A CREDIT CARD WOULD JUST GET ME INTO A WORLD OF TROUBLE.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/bernie-sanders-reacts-to-amazon-slashing-stock-incentive-bonuses-for-hourly-workers
Bernie Sanders reacts to Amazon slashing stock, incentive bonuses for hourly workers
By Thomas Barrabi Published October 04, 2018 RetailFOXBusiness

VIDEO -- Why did Amazon agree to raise its minimum wage?

Wall Street Journal editorial page writer Jillian Melchior and former investment banker Carol Roth on how Amazon will raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour for U.S. employees.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called on Amazon on Thursday to ensure that all of its hourly workers will receive a boost in compensation after the company drew criticism for slashing stock options and incentive-based pay even as it hiked its minimum wage to $15 per hour.

“Our understanding is that the vast majority of Amazon workers are going to see wage increases, including some very significant increases as the minimum wage goes up to $15 an hour,” Sanders said in a statement to FOX Business. “I would hope that as a result of Amazon’s new policy, no worker, especially long-time employees, sees a reduction in total compensation. Amazon can afford to make all workers whole and should do that.”

A noted critic of Amazon’s pay practices, Sanders praised the e-commerce giant earlier this week after CEO Jeff Bezos raised the minimum wage to $15 for some 350,000 hourly employees, including seasonal workers. The company also slightly boosted pay for hourly workers already earning $15 per hour.

But an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business on Wednesday that the company is phasing out restricted stock units, or RSUs, as a form of compensation for customer-service and warehouse employees, at a time when Amazon shares are approaching $2,000. The company is also ending monthly incentive-based pay bonuses for warehouse workers tied to facility production goals.

The minimum wage increase “more than compensates” employees for the phasing out of stock awards and incentive pay, the company said.

“We can confirm that all hourly Operations and Customer Service employees will see an increase in their total compensation as a result of this announcement,” the statement added. “In addition, because it’s no longer incentive-based, the compensation will be more immediate and predictable.”

Over the last several months, Sanders has repeatedly called out Amazon for failing to pay some workers a living wage – a charge the booming brand has long denied. The senator introduced a Senate bill last month that sought to require large employers to pay taxes equal to the cost of government assistance programs its workers use to make ends meeting.


HERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS AMONG THE SAD AND DISPIRITING STORIES. WE JUST DON’T THINK OF KIDS AS BEING HOMELESS, THOUGH MANY HAVE TO STAY WITH FAMILY MEMBERS RATHER THAN THEIR PARENTS. THIS YOUNG BLACK MAN HAS FOUGHT HIS WAY UPWARD TO SUCCESS AND EVEN A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/once-homeless-football-player-jamal-speaks-earns-college-scholarship/
By JIM AXELROD CBS NEWS October 3, 2018, 6:56 PM
Once-homeless football player Jamal Speaks earns college scholarship

PHOTOGRAPH -- Jamal Speaks. CBS NEWS
NEWS VIDEO INTERVIEW

When the Ballou High School Knights captured a last second 29-26 win over their Washington, D.C., rival Roosevelt High, no one loved it more than senior running back Jamal Speaks. And it wasn't not just because he rushed a touchdown, setting up the game winner with a great catch.

axelrod-homeless-football-player-100418-aircut-frame-1198.jpg
Jamal Speaks. CBS NEWS
It was also because this was his first game in two seasons.

"It was just fun to have my brother back," said Milan Womack, a teammate.

Speaks wasn't injured, he had been ineligible to play. But it wasn't because of bad grades or discipline issues. It's because with his father dead, and his mother not in his life, he was bouncing from one friend's house to another. The school ruled without a permanent address, he couldn't play.

His friends decided to take a stand. Last game, they refused to take the field for 45 minutes in protest.

"If anybody was in his shoes we would do the same thing for anybody," said Taijai Ruffin, another player.

With the light shining on Speaks' situation, he was allowed to play — at least for the time being.

"People accept me for who I am and I appreciate it. There's just a lot of love," he said.

Temple University did, giving him a football scholarship, and the rest of us a running back to root for in the seasons to come.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


MSNBC MADDOW NEWS

THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/3/18
Principles aside, FBI bends to pressure, Republicans have learned
Rachel Maddow notes that the FBI investigation into Brett Kavanaugh will not be made public according to FBI rules, though as Republicans have learned by now (and as the Hillary Clinton campaign can attest), FBI rules bend under pressure. Duration: 8:33


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/3/18
Kavanaugh fails own test of judicial temperament
Rachel Maddow compares the standards for being a judge, as laid out by Brett Kavanaugh in a 2015 speech, with his unhinged, partisan rant before the Senate Judicial Committee. Duration: 12:0


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/3/18
Reason for hacking case referral to Mueller investigation unclear
Ben Schreckinger, national political correspondent for Politico, talks with Rachel Maddow about the FBI referring the case of the hacking of an anti-Trump Republican to Robert Mueller's Trump Russia investigation. Duration: 9:52


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/3/18
Republicans set schedule for viewing FBI Kavanaugh report
Rachel Maddow reports breaking news that Mitch McConnell has announced that the FBI has submitted its report, as Chuck Grassley has set a schedule for the report's viewing, and protesters against Kavanaugh's confirmation hold vigils across the United States. Duration: 1:52


HELP THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/2/18
Fraud of Trump's self-made persona exposed in father's financials
Rachel Maddow shares highlights from extensive New York Times reporting showing that contrary to Donald Trump's efforts to portray himself as the product of his own work, much of his money is the result of his father feeding money to him. Duration: 14:27


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/2/18
Inconsistencies in Trump taxes raised red flags for NYT reporters
Susanne Craig, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks with Rachel Maddow about how a TRMS report on Donald Trump's 2005 taxes led her and her colleagues to dig into why those returns were so different from his 1995 returns, leading to a bounty of information on the history of Trump family finances. Duration: 6:16


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/2/18
Trumps could face legal liability for newly exposed schemes
Susanne Craig, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks with Rachel Maddow about how the Trump family's use of sketchy tax schemes and "padded receipts" in growing and transferring their father's fortune could still carry some legal jeopardy. Duration: 2:35


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/2/18
Kavanaugh investigation reportedly near end despite loose ends
Rachel Maddow notes that amid reports that a the FBI investigation into Brett Kavanaugh could be finished as early as Tuesday night, a lot of people who would appear to be key to a credible investigation have no been contacted by FBI investigators. Duration: 2:45


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/2/18
Confidence shaky in restricted FBI investigation of Kavanaugh
Rachel Maddow reads a sworn affidavit from Elizabeth Rasor, the former girlfriend of Brett Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge, which the FBI neglected to take, and talks with Frank Montoya, former FBI special agent, about whether the FBI is able to conduct a proper investigation within the constraints set by Senate Republicans. Duration: 11:07