2010 Census: Percentage of the White Population Declined Slightly; Nevertheless, Whites are Still the Dominant Majority Population

In my posts dealing with the “futility of colorblindness”, I often refer to the Census’s breakdown of race to show that the White population is the dominant population in the country. The percentage number for Whites went down a little bit, but White still make up over 223 million people.

United States (population: 281,421,906 (2000 Census)

Race	Percentage of population	Number
White	75.1%	211,460,626
Black	12.3	34,658,190
Native American	0.9	2,475,956
Asian	3.6	10,242,998

United States (population: 308,745,538) (2010 Census)

Race	Percentage of population	Number
White	72.4%	223,553,265
Black	12.6	38,929,319
Native American	0.7	540,013
Asian	4.8	14,674,252

The Futility of “Colorblindness”: Trayvon Martin–The “Post-Racial” Makeup of Government Leadership & Its Profound Irrelevance

In an article about the marches to respond to the events leading to and following the death of Trayvon Martin, a Washington Post article seems to express a disbelief that people are still affected by negative behavior because of their skin color even when the president is African American, the attorney general is Black, and the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division is Hispanic (a national origin, not a race).

I don’t think that the non-White racial identification of government leadership is relevant in a situation where a Black person is killed and the known shooter will likely not receive any arrest, trial, or penalty for it. In addition, as I mentioned in a previous post, the so-called post-racial era never existed. It is impossible where Whites are the preferred race and dominant population.

What happened to Mr. Martin is shocking to me–a surprise that such an event is still occurring in 2012.It suggests that for a Black person simply living his or her own life is at risk of being killed as a result of the anxieties or false beliefs of someone else.

Zimmerman was not arrested, and I am not sure whether a case can be made against him now. The Sanford, Fla., Police Department effectively closed the case until the recent news coverage reopened the case. While I hope that charges can be filed against Zimmerman, with the poor preliminary police work and evidence gathering, I am not sure if charges can be filed that will strong enough to succeed in court.

Federal Pensions: Third Way Was Able to Increase FERS Contributions; Congress Directed Extra Monies to Unemploment Extension

Because of the way that the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (CSRDF) is set up, when federal employees contribute more (without an increase of the pension benefit), they actually are paying that money to the Treasury. In the case of the recent new law (P. L. 112-96, title V), this money is going to pay for an extension of unemployment benefits (and not an increase in pension benefits). So, basically, federal employee pay was effectively cut back.

The group, Third Way,  still has influence. It asked for a 5.2% increase of employee’s contributions; the Congress delivered 3.1% not only for the civil service but all participants of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System.

[The crocodile tears of Minority Whip Steny Hoyer and Representative Chris Van Hollen (member of the so -called supercommittee) did not affect me at all, except to make me marvel at their skills of "gaslighting."]

United States: Waging War to Regain Former “Glory” Futile; Foreign States That Seek War Must Bear All Costs & Consequences without U.S. Taxpayer Assistance

State	Gross Domestic Product	Population
United States	$14.59 trillion	311,591,917
Iran	$331.015 billion	73,973,600
Israel	$217.33 billion	7,624,600
Iraq	$82.1503 billion	32.0308 million
Afghanistan	$17.2431 billion	34.3851 million

Source: For gross domestic product, Google. For population, Google.

It is said that the state of Israel is preparing itself for war. If that state wants to wage war, it must prepare to accept all of the costs and consequences of that move by itself. Meanwhile, the “elites,” or the 1%, of this country should not assume if they work up themselves into a frenzy enough that they can lead the people of the United States to support a military action.

At root of all of this bellicose behavior seems to be not a direct threat on the people of the United States but rather a closely held policy view that the United States (via Israel) should be the only political power in the Middle East region. Should Iran be able to have the elements of nuclear power, even without actually creating a bomb, the United States will no longer be able to dictate its wishes with the implicit threat or use of military force.

With the civilian-instituted political revolutions (e.g., Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and others) going on in that region, the power of the United States to make such dictates has been severely weakened; attacking Iran will not allow the United States to regain this permanent loss of power. When Mubarak waived the presidency, the U.S. power grip was broken.

This power loss is demonstrated in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States waged war in both places with nebulous results after costly losses to this country and most definitely to the civilian population and treasury of both Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States surely cannot say its hand has been strengthened with the overwhelming use of force in these poor countries. Iraq is not truly sovereign; it does not have a viable military, air force or military armaments to thwart would be invaders (except the United States).

The people of the United States cannot tolerate any more wars, unless aggression is encountered within the U.S. territory. Other countries are free to do with their money, militaries, and populations as they see fit.

U.S. Foreign Policy: “Might is Right” Doctrine Potentially at Play in Iran; States that Administer it Are Playing with Fire

Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a 32-year-old nuclear scientist in Iran, was assassinated with a bomb that was magnetically attached to his car by a motorcyclist. The whole event seems to be a professionally targeted hit. (How many common criminals use a magnetic bomb?) The United States condemned the Roshan’s killing. Regardless, the assassination was quite unwise as the nuclear knowledge already present in Iran will not be gone because Roshan is not there.

States using with terroristic methods ultimately play with fire. If it were a Western scientist assassinated under nebulous circumstances would be soundly condemned as terrorism against Western ideals (for example, academic freedom) with fiery calls for vengeance. How, then, can today’s assassination of a young scientist be even thought of as a success?

The United States continues to grieve the attacks of September 11; it should avoid provoking (in any way) backlash-inducing catastrophes.

Note: Nuclear weapon states.

Barack Obama: President Delivers Debt Reduction Plan to Joint Congressional Deficit Committee

As I suspected, in part, President Barack Obama delivered his deficit reduction plan to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction.

I have yet to read all of the contents, but one thing I did notice is that the proposal for federal employees to “contribute” more to their pensions is really a giveback of salary (because of the operation of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund). I guess “Third Way” got its way in part (1.2% rather than 5.8%). But knowing how this town works another time that the media whips up the public about federal employees, watch for the so-called contribution to increase. [With all of the givebacks and pay freezes, federal salaries may never keep up with the cost of living in this expensive country.]

Will the plan get a majority vote and get a expedited vote in Congress? I do not know. Maybe some of the very bitter provisions can be tolerated if  (very big “if”) every income class participates in addressing the lack of revenue problem.

Barack Obama: Obama Administration Releases its American Jobs Act Proposal

The Obama Administration provides a statement to Congress, section-by-section analysis, and text of the bill at the White House website.(
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/12/message-president-congress-sectional-analysis-and-text-american-jobs-act
)

FICA: President Barack Obama Seemingly Is Using the Payroll Tax Cut as a Way to Weaken Support for FICA-Funded Programs; President Should Use General Funds to Provide Needed Economic-Crisis Assistance

President Barack Obama’s proposal to extend the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax cut harms the idea that FICA is a special-purpose tax to fund Social Security and Medicare. I feared the President’s proposal last year, knowing that his further proposals to extend would happen. Currently, the Congress requires the Treasury to arrange for an equivalent amount of cash to go to FICA-funded programs, which makes up for the “loss” due to the FICA tax cut. [P.L. 111-312, sec. 601(e)]. This tax cut seems to be a neat way of having the increase (not much ($934 on yearly average)) of cash to the citizenry, while having the Treasury ensure that the contributions to the FICA-funded programs are not reduced.

However, what the President has done is introduce the idea that the FICA tax is not a special-purpose tax for Medicare and Social Security, but rather the notion that FICA can be used for general current-revenue purposes. This change is subtle but very dangerous. While the current President can be said to support Social Security and Medicare, this very same FICA tax cut could be used to force cuts or substantially change both programs (by a future President who can be said to be opposed to FICA-funded programs). Therefore, I became seriously concerned when the so-called Democratic President used a GOP talking point to attempt to shame GOP congressional members to support an extension of the FICA tax cut (emphasis below mine).

Pass this jobs bill, and the typical working family will get a $1,500 tax cut next year.  Fifteen hundred dollars that would have been taken out of your pocket will go into your pocket.  This expands on the tax cut that Democrats and Republicans already passed for this year.  If we allow that tax cut to expire — if we refuse to act — middle-class families will get hit with a tax increase at the worst possible time.  We can’t let that happen.  I know that some of you have sworn oaths to never raise any taxes on anyone for as long as you live.  Now is not the time to carve out an exception and raise middle-class taxes, which is why you should pass this bill right away.  (Applause.)

The President is seemingly using the economic crisis as a way to begin the process of breaking the overwhelming popular support of the FICA-funded programs. The issue that some wealthy politicians face is the enduring support of FICA-funded programs. Because of how the U.S. manages its cash–using FICA funds in general revenues and issuing a nonmarketable Treasury bond (a promise to repay) in exchange for the cash–general revenues that are artificially low (due to the FICA borrowing) will have to be increased in order to pay the bonds redeemed by FICA-funded programs when the number of beneficiaries exceeds the proceeds collected from the FICA tax.

The President, when he deals with FICA-funded programs, must be carefully observed.

Deficit Committee: Sunlight Foundation, Half in Ten Publish Information about Members of Deficit Panel

I think that it is beneficial to get as much information about the politicians elected to represent the citizens of the United States. I have used information from the Open Secrets website to see the net worth of the members of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction (JCDR)  and other members of Congressional leadership.

Now the Sunlight Foundation has added another piece of information on fundraisers; the website, www.halfinten.org, has published demographic information about the congressional districts of the individual members of the JCDR.

Third Way: Evaluating Group’s Document “Saving Social Security”; Proposal for Benefit Taxes on Higher-Income Seniors, Means-Testing Benefits Unacceptable

Having completed posting on the Third Way benefit-change proposals, I will now begin to evaluate the revenue-increase proposals.

First on the list is the idea to impose benefit taxes on higher-income seniors. Third Way proposes to reduce benefits on this group and then turns around and taxes the all benefits above $50,000. I don’t see anything wrong with the current system.

Social Security is not a welfare program should not be adjusted to become one. The same response is true for the “idea” of means testing benefits—no. This move would be a sure way to diminish confidence in the program and turn it into a welfare program, which it is not. If a person pays into the Social Security program, they should receive proceeds from the program. If outside income exceeds $34,000 (or $44,000 for couples), that amount would be taxable under the current system.