Kudos for sticking with the Paris Climate Agreement!

It was nice to see so many corporate CEOs say they would continue to adhere the Paris 

Climate Agreement (PCA) even as President Trump  said the United States would not.

Some 'cared' so much they even decided leave presidential advisory council, believing

not offing advise is better than remaining on the council!

First of all, this grandstanding is meaningless. The PCA signed in 2015 does not mandate

anything, nor will it. So for more than 1200 cities, states and businesses committing to 

this agreement mean nothing, This is purely for public consumption, not CO2 emission 

reduction!  (So much for the Earth in peril)

President Trump's decision ends any future mandates beyond the authority of Congress

on the very companies whose CEOs 'gallantly' ride off on their high horses; companies 

so well-heeled they can easily pass long the cost to their customers.

There was no mention of struggling small business owners whose 100,000s companies 

did not object. They understand the true PCA compliance cost.

The unreported silver lining is this. As many of our founders had hoped, 'republicanism', 

meaning less authority residing in Washington, would be the best form of government.  

Call it personal responsibility when cities, states, organization and businesses, each deciding 

for themselves on how to spend taxpayer or shareholders money, rather  than the president

of the United States dictating...without Congressional approval.

To the 1200 climate warriors will continue to support the Paris accord, Go for it!!!!

Here they are: http://wearestillin.com/

However, these environmentally conscious folks should not expect the American taxpayers

to cover the cost.

And, to ensure American taxpayers are not saddled with the cost President Trump should 

inform the IRS any attempt by companies to get tax  relief should be denied!

Additionally, cities, states should not expect increases in federal funding if they decide to

"invest" in climate effecting initiatives.  

If they are as serious as they say, it should not matter, after all, the Earth is in the balance!

We'll soon know if  'saving the planet' is as important as lower profits and losing jobs!

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"it's always something — if it ain't one thing, it's another."

This was the canned response from the "fictional" character 

Roseanne Roseannadanna of 'Saturday Night Live'

fame when any issue was being discussed.

This is not much different than what we have seen in public 

education when it discovers supposed problems, looking for something outside the whelm of what is actually occurring.

The latest I have seen is the recognition of the "opportunity gap", 

a term I was unaware of until recently, even as it has been around since 2013.

What is the 'opportunity gap'?  I found this description:

​T​

he term opportunity gap

​ ​

refers to the ways in which race, ethnicity, socioeconomic

​ ​

status, English proficiency, community wealth, familial situations, or other factors contribute to or perpetuate lower educational aspirations, achievement and attainment for certain

.

I find the 'opportunity gap'  to be just another "fictional" solution 

that is offered by the public education 'industry' that is obsessed 

with what I call 'bean counting'.  

No longer does the individual matter. The focus is on what it perceives, differences based on any criteria educators can use to introduce a new program that never seem to solve the problems humans put upon themselves!

The fiction we laughingly digested from Ms. Roseannadanna is 

not so funny when it is applied on public education!

"Opportunity gap" joins 'White privilege", "single parenting", "poverty", "lack of diversity", "drug use" and anything else the 

will 'stick' in the public's psyche!  All have been heralded, and 

led to most universities creating departments and 'investing'

(never called spending) tens of millions to fix a non-existent 

problem!

Public education is no better now that it was before "its always something" drove it down to where it currently resides!

The public education 'industry' is thriving as the majority of 

students who attended public schools appear to be less educated 

than their parents and grandparents.

Maybe we just need "another something"! 

Regards,
Anthony Bruno

-- 

http://www.drudgereport.com/

How to improve airline services in the United States

My son recently returned  from his first overseas trip and had

the occasion to experience a foreign airline. 

As someone who rarely travels he took note of the difference 

between US and foreign carriers and saw the experience with 

foreign airlines and facilities was superior to what he saw in

the United States.

Even pleasantries and courteous security clearance, often non-

existent on US carriers are standard on most foreign carriers.

This got me to thinking, "why is this?" which also immediately

led me to two answers, 'quality' and 'competition'.

'Quality' directed me to Edwards Deming, the 'Godfather of

Quality' who offered his concepts of quality control to Japan 

which sought help after World War II. 

It is interesting Deming's quality concepts were developed

in the United States, used by the military and led to Japanese

products made with improved quality and at a lower cost.

(Remember transistor radios?) 

This was the foundation that eventfully lead to superior cars

imported from Japan.

It took until the 1980s before domestic auto makers to seriously 

addressed quality issues, and only due to the superior quality coming 

from Japan and  later Europe. Not until 1981 did an American auto

company, Ford, to call on Deming, and only when its business was 

in trouble.

'Competition' is the other key factor required to improve the travel 

experience here in the United States.  

With only three major domestic carriers due to consolidation of more

than a dozen, there is little inclination to improve quality of service. 

Only true competition on domestic routes  can influence the level of 

service American, Delta and United will offer.

Foreign competition, as there is in most industries, will drive domestic

airlines to raise the lever of services, reduce the cost of airfares or

suffer the same fate Detroit did.

Yet, this has not been occurring and American air travel, as over 800

million passengers bare the cost, in both lousy service and prohibitive fares. 

There has been talks about opening domestic routes to foreign airlines

but little more than 'talk'.

I found one of the obstacles is getting other countries to reciprocate, by

allowing US carriers to fly in their 'domestic' routes. Others obstacles

include US unions concerned about non-union jobs and even US carriers

that do not want the competition, probably because they know they could

not successfully compete with foreign air carriers. 

In closing, at least we know there is a consumer driven effort to transform

the airline industry as 'quality' and 'competition' transformed the auto

industry.

This is a link  found describing the desire to improve and the obstacles

to making it a reality.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2014/01/05/elliott-let-foreign-airlines-fly-domestic-routes/4329825/

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Putting the White House "on message"

If the subject line is correct, President Trump will shift or remove people on 

his communication team in response to media criticism, to ensure his "message 

is getting out". 

If this is true, then Donald Trump is being driven by the Establishment rather

than an electorate that put him in the White House.

President Trump message is getting out just fine based on the unreported fact, 

he has not lost an inch of ground among the 60 million who embraced his message. 

Even considering a change in his communication team is something frightened 

politicians do when feeling the heat from Washington critics, which now see
include partisan and complicit media that had him in their cross hairs since he
announced he was running for the presidency!

The White House communication has not failed; if anything they have been too

damn nice and cordial, expecting in kind respect, which never occurred.

President Trump should not change a "damn thing" in his communication vehicle!

Keep the tweets and blunt talk coming, the more Washington and media rail
against them, rest assured they are working, reinforcing an unpolished message
that brought sell out crowds to rallies!

There is no need to appease Washington critics who have visibly displayed
disdain for Trump. They did not elect him, so why try to "make nice" with
a group of elitists who are never nice if you disagree with them.

The only 'failure' I have seen has been the impatience by Trump supporters
for him not doing more. To them I say be patient. In my estimation the president
has done more meaningful steps to improve the American economy in four months
than any Republican has completed in a term, and without Congress as a willing
partner!

Those who supported Trump, continue to support him, remain as tenacious in
your commitment as he has been to his.  

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"Dead on Arrival" is not what is needed

"Dead on Arrival" was Sen. John McCain's response to President Trump's first budget.

If you are familiar with Sen. McCain such criticism towards his own party is nothing 

new.  Its a pattern of divisiveness he seems to relish.

McCain's curious behavior did not begin with President Trump. He enjoys being the 

contrarian for it gains him a warm welcome by the media whenever he speaks against 

a GOP president.

Although McCain has proudly proclaimed he was a 'foot soldier in the Reagan revolution,

no succeeding Republican president has been as deserving. It was McCain who joined

Democrats to undermine President George W. Bush policies during the war in Iraq. 

I thought of the 'dead on arrival' comment as I observe McCain's relationship with 

President Trump, as the senator has been everything but a loyal 'foot soldier'.  He 

gleefully refuses to fill the same role even as the 'revolution' today is much more

perilous than the Cold War was. 

This enemy cannot be fought with a superior military, it comes from within, using

corrosive efforts to divide the American people and  destroy the fabric of our country!

Perhaps McCain is locked in a time warp believing "the Russians are coming" drivel

Democrats and the media have been promoting even as no intelligence agency has presented evidence in almost two years! 

McCain, for whatever reason, refuses to acknowledge the challenges Trump faces as 

he did  the ones Reagan faced.  

McCain never criticized any of the budgets Reagan submitted in eight  years as president

even as they increased the national debt, something Trump is committed not to do!

Time and again McCain feels compelled to remain the 'maverick' he prided himself on

during his career, and curiously he seems to appear more comfortable being a contrarian 

in his party rather than take on the vile opposition whose only desire is to destroy any 

Republican presidency.

McCain continues to display the same behavior which made him a hero in captivity,

resistance.  But, then it was against an enemy, while now it is against his own political ally! 

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A long delayed reckoning which needs to be addressed

Before reading about President Trump's first budget, take a moment and look 

over this chart....and while you do.....think of your children and grandchildren.

This has been the 'work' of bi-partisan Congresses and approval of presidents

of both parties. We can "thank" them for the flood of red ink that has flowed

for forty two of the past forty six years, a river of debt we won't be around to

pay but future generations will!

Our first non-politician president is doing something no politician has dared

to do....cut spending! 

Not even in the four year of growth, 1997-2000, did spending  go down!

Cutting spending is something Washington has refused to do for more than

four decades, and the reason we have a national debt of $22 trillion and grows

by $1 trillion annually, even as record revenue goes to Washington!

The proposed budget will make cuts in many agencies for the first time ever, 

such as Agriculture by 21%,  Commerce 16%, Education 13%,  Energy 6%, 

Health 18%, Housing 14%, and Interior 12%.

The reason? For the first time we have a president who can identify what

politicians have not, needless spending based on the belief "more is better

than less"!

This is the link to review the budget in detail, by agency.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/2018_blueprint.pdf

In total,  spending will be cut by $3.6 trillion over ten years. While headlines 

will scream its an outrage, please remember this less than 10% of the $40 trillion 

Washington would otherwise spend!

Is this really so bad?  Well, it is if you read what the residents of the swamp

have to say; these are 'profiteers' who depend on federal spending so they can

thrive while too many Americans struggle.

No matter the news source you follow you will read spending cuts will hit the 

poor the hardest. You will hear/read about cuts in food stamps, Medicaid 

payments, farm subsidies and many domestic budget items.

To those who benefit from unbridled spending, there is no upside to budget

cuts. They would prefer seeing an annual one trillion in debt continue in

perpetuity!

But, there is an upside, but it will go unreported and when coupled with 

proposed tax cuts projects of 3% economic growth, twice the amount

of  the past ten years!

Three percent growth means 300,000 full time jobs each month. rather 

than the paltry 100,000-150,000, often part time jobs, on 1-2% growth.  

This growth along with the federal tax cuts means more money remains

in OUR hands to be spent in OUR states rather than sent to Washington

where bureaucrats decide how it will be spent and which states benefit

and which do not!

Additionally, spending cuts along with ending regulations that have 

done more harm than good will reduce the cost of compliance by

businesses and states, and stimulates economic growth nationwide.

But President Trump's proposal  is merely guidance for the actual
spending Congress will approve, and history has shown Congress
prefers to spend rather than be fiscally responsible.

Congress will doggedly fight every cut in every department. Remember,

they are politicians and their 'guidance' unlike President Trump comes

from lobbyists and donors.....not average working Americans.

So, don't expect to read any positive stories about Trump's budget, 

for it would not fit the 'sky is falling' narrative the media and many

politicians will be spewing.

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A Message to Remember.....

What President Trump said in his Inauguration may not be remembered, especially after
events which have transpired the past four months.

But, what Trump said needs to be stated once again because this is the reason he is now
our president and why Democrats, many Republicans, media, lobbyists, donors and even
many government workers are desperately trying to destroy his presidency.

To most Americans nothing President Trump said in his opening remarks were cause for
concern. Most Americans do not feel threatened, they merely have been beaten down.

Beaten down by excuses when government fails them, beaten down by policies which 
seem to benefit everyone but them, beaten down by companies doing better while 
employees are not.

Thanks to Rush Limbaugh for reminding his audience of Trump's first message for the 
American people in his Inauguration address.

Here it is:

“Today’s ceremony has a very special meaning, because today we are not merely
transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another. 
We are transferring power from Washington and giving it back to you, the American 
people.”

“For too long,” Trump said, “a small group in our nation’s capital as reaped the
rewards government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, 
but the people did not share in its wealth. 

Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment
protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been 
your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs. And while they celebrated
in our nation’s capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our
land. 

That all changes starting right here, right now, because this moment is your moment.
It belongs to you. It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching
all across America.

“This is your day. This is your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is 
your country. What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but
whether our government is controlled by the people.

January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day people became the rulers of this 
nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the tens of millions to become part of 
an historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before.

At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction, that a nation exists to serve its
citizens. Americans want great schools for their kids, safe neighborhoods for their
families, and good jobs for themselves. These are the just and reasonable demands 
of a righteous public.”

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