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Whatever happened to the middle class?

Whatever happened to America’s Middle Class? Today and tomorrow, the New York Analysis of Policy & Government reviews the most important data and research on this bedrock portion of the U.S. population. 

There is one issue that most Democrats and Republicans, progressives and conservatives actually agree on: America’s middle class is dwindling.  In both numbers as a percent of the population and in income, those at the center of the economy in earnings are becoming an endangered species. A review of several key reports is revealing.

As the New York Analysis of Policy & Government has previously reported, a significant source of middle income employment has been considerably reduced since President Clinton normalized trade relations with Beijing. Combined with America’s corporate tax rates (highest among any of the U.S.’s developed trading partners) and a refusal by both parties to adequately address issues such as the importation of goods manufactured overseas by slave or dramatically underpaid labor and with considerably less regulation than found domestically, the exodus of jobs has been rampant.

While the Obama Administration notes that some jobs have been created to replace those lost during the Great Recession, the reality is that these replacement jobs are largely very-low paying positions, many of them taken by immigrants, legal and illegal.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, William Galston notes that “Over the next decade, the service sector will provide 95% of all the new jobs.  Manufacturing, which shed more than two million jobs between 2004 and 2014, will shrink by an additional 800,000, to only 7% of the workforce.  Of the 15 occupations with the most project job growth, only four ask for a bachelors degree, eight require no formal education credentials; nine offer median annual wages under $30,000…For middle income families…[net wealth has stagnated] from $96,000 in 1983, $98,000 in 2013…”

The latest report to join the ever-increasing number of worrisome analyses about the middle class comes from the Pew Research Center. Rakesh Kochhar and Richard Fry note that:

“Americans in middle-income households have lost significant ground since 1970, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. The middle class has long been the country’s economic majority, but our new analysis finds that’s no longer true. Meanwhile, the middle class has fallen further behind upper-income households financially, which now hold a larger share of aggregate household income than ever before in the 44-year period examined.”
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Pew summarizes its report in five points:

1.Middle-income Americans are no longer the nation’s economic majority. In early 2015, there were 120.8 million adults in middle-income households, matched in number by the 121.3 million adults who were in lower- and upper-income households combined. This is the culmination of a long slide in which the share of adults in middle-income households has fallen from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2015.

  1. The decline in the middle represents both economic progress and polarization. The shift shows progress in the sense that a larger share of Americans now live in upper-income households. Fully 21% of American adults in 2015 were upper income, compared with 14% in 1971, a 7-percentage-point increase. The increase in the share of upper-income adults was greater than the change in the opposite direction. Some 29% of U.S. adults were low income in 2015, compared with 25% in 1971. But the data also show increasing economic polarization: As the distribution of adults thins in the middle, it is bulking up most at the extreme ends of the income distribution, the lowest and highest tiers.
  2. 3. Over the long haul, America’s middle-income households have seen their income grow.From 1970 to 2014, these households’ median income increased from $54,682 to $73,392 (in 2014 dollars), a gain of 34%. Lower-income household incomes have grown, too, but not as much: 28% over the same 44-year period. Upper-income household incomes have grown most, up 47% over this period. However, the nation’s economic progress over the past several decades masks financial setbacks since 2000.Because of the recession in 2001 and the Great Recession of 2007-09, overall household incomes fell from 2000 to 2014. The greatest loss was felt by lower-income households, whose median income fell 9% over this period; the median for middle-income households fell 4%, and that for upper-income households fell 3%.
  3. The shareof U.S. aggregate household income held by middle-income households has plunged,from 62% in 1970 to 43% in 2014. Meanwhile, the share held by upper-income households increased from 29% to 49%. This shift is driven both by the growing size of the upper-income tier and more rapid gains in income at the top. There is also a growing disparity in the median wealth (assets minus debts) of these income tiers. Upper-income families, who had three times as much wealth as middle-income families in 1983, more than doubled the wealth gap to seven times as much in 2013.
  4. Over the years, certaindemographic groups have fared better than others in moving up the economic ladder. Since 1971, older Americans (ages 65 and older) and African Americans have made notable progressin moving up the income tiers. But overall, both groups are still overrepresented in the lower-income tier. Married adults also made significant progress over this 44-year period, and women overall made greater economic gains than men.

“Americans without a college degree stand out as experiencing a substantial loss in economic status since 1971, as do young adults ages 18 to 29. Hispanics overall are also more likely to be in lower-income households than in 1971, a change driven by the increasing share of immigrants in the Hispanic population in the past four decades.”

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Afghan pullout may repeat mistake in Iraq

The Constitution gives Congress a considerable role, through funding and treaty approval, in military and foreign affairs. It has also has been an area in which the citizenry and the press have, through vigorous comments, demonstrations and electoral decisions, played a substantial part.

Uniquely, however, throughout the course of the Obama presidency, the influence of Congress and the public has been comparatively less considerable. Part of this has been due to the exceptional support this White House has received from the media, limiting the public’s exposure to the controversial nature and unwanted results of his decisions. Additionally, Mr. Obama’s tactic of labelling new treaties as “agreements” or other terms has been successfully employed to reduce the Senate’s role.

Throughout his tenure in office, Mr. Obama has combined reduced military spending with lesser cooperation with traditional allies and greater concessions to adversaries. He has given greater priority to United Nations decision making, as well as concerns about potential global warming over more immediate issues such as national security.

There have been dramatically undesirable results from the President’s policies, including the failed “reset” with Russia, China’s continuing extensive cyberespionage, unfair trade tactics, and outright armed aggression, and, of course, the series of mistakes which strengthened international terrorism to an unprecedented degree. It appears that a repeat of his mistake in Iraq may lead to the return of the Taliban and a new role for other terrorist forces in Afghanistan.

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It has been approximately a year since the U.S. and its NATO allies have changed their mission from direct confrontation with Afghanistan Islamic extremist to a supporting role for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF.)  The President had previously announced a departure date for U.S. forces from Afghanistan, but later amended his plans, in light of the disastrous results of the Iraqi pullout, to allow some continuation of a limited role.

According to a Defense Department Report  “Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan,” “U.S. forces in Afghanistan continue to conduct two narrow, well-defined, and complementary missions: training, advising, and assisting the ANDSF and supporting counterterrorism operations against the remnants of al Qaeda and its associates. In order to preserve hard-fought gains and help the ANDSF continue to develop and to provide stability and security in Afghanistan, on October 15, 2015, President Obama announced that U.S. forces will maintain their current posture of 9,800 military personnel through most of 2016. By the end of 2016, rather than draw down to a Kabul-only U.S. military presence as previously envisioned, the United States will maintain 5,500 military personnel in Kabul and Bagram, in addition to a limited presence in the east and south of Afghanistan. This decision provides U.S. forces the access and the reach required to implement these two missions effectively in the next year and reflects the U.S. government’s enduring commitment to Afghanistan and its security forces. It also recognizes that the ANDSF will require more time and assistance to develop into a capable, credible, and independent force that can protect the Afghan people and contribute to regional and international security. The continued U.S. presence will also address threats to the homeland from terrorist actors in the region, particularly al Qaeda.

The results from America’s reduced role and the announced pullout date have been poor. According to the Report, “In the second half of 2015, the overall security situation in Afghanistan deteriorated with an increase in effective insurgent attacks and higher ANDSF and Taliban casualties…The Taliban have remained active in their traditional strongholds, namely in Helmand in the south and Logar and Wardak in the east, and also created a sense of instability for brief periods of time in other parts of the country, such as in Kunduz in northern Afghanistan… insurgents are improving in their ability to find and exploit ANDSF vulnerabilities, making the security situation still fragile in key areas and at risk of deterioration in other places.” While the Report notes improvement and some successes for Afghan forces, it is clear that the 2016 pullout is an enormous risk.

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Season’s Greetings from the New York Analysis of Policy and Government

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Persecution of Christians outside of the Islamic World

While persecution of Christians is most violent and pronounced in the Islamic world, other regions have also engaged in the practice.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide emphasizes, according to the Commission, that “One of the worst countries in the world for the persecution of Christians is North Korea. With the exception of four official state-controlled churches in Pyongyang, Christians in North Korea face the risk of detention in the prison camps, severe torture and, in some cases, execution for practicing their religious beliefs. North Koreans suspected of having contact with South Korean or other foreign missionaries in China, and those caught in possession of a Bible, have been known to be executed.”

North Korea’s economic sponsor, China, also engages in oppression against Christians.  In May, Think Progress reported: “the provincial government of Zhejiang made public a new draft proposal calling for the removal of crosses from the tops of churches and outlining a rigid policy that would greatly restrict their display. According to the New York Times, the regulations will reduce the Christian symbol to obscurity, mandating that they only be installed on the side — not the top — of structures, be a color that blends into their surroundings, and extend no more than one-tenth the height of the building’s facade. Carsten Vala, research fellow at Purdue University’s Center on Religion and Chinese Society, told ThinkProgress that the policy appears to be the latest move in a sustained effort by local officials to reduce the visibility and influence of Christianity in Zhejiang, whose unusually large Christian presence — roughly 10 percent of the local population — has earned the city the nickname “China’s Jerusalem.” Despite heated protests, the government has forcibly removed the crosses from several churches in the province over the past year, and even tore down the 180-foot spire of state-sponsored Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou, China last May.”

The U.S. State Department notes: While most incidents involved the removal of crosses and steeples, a handful of prominent churches were demolished, including the Sanjiang Church in the city of Wenzhou that was leveled in April despite efforts by its parishioners to form human shields to protect it. Zhejiang officials stated that crosses and churches needed to be “demolished” as “illegal structures” that violated local zoning laws. Unofficial “house” church members continued to face harassment and detention. Security officials frequently interrupted outdoor services of the unregistered Shouwang Church in Beijing and detained people attending those services for several days without charge. Reports indicated the average length of these detentions increased from hours to days.

Consuming kamagra is low cost levitra an easy process you just have taken yesterday. When you get behind the wheel of your car, you need to be sure that you have taken soft tablets within 24 hours * Consume the tablet before recommended duration * Do not take the medicine with other nitrate medicines * Take the tablets with full glass of order generic cialis water and on empty stomach Do not overdose or increase the dosage for yourself. For instance, a gentle massage, hot bath, chocolate treat at dinner, etc., can be some useful additions to the buy levitra. Sometimes, they are not able to have good purchase cialis from india intercourse and provide sexual satisfaction. Russia, through its proxies, has also engaged in repression of Christians, notes the State Department. In the eastern Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian-backed separatists proclaimed the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. In the areas they control, the separatists have kidnapped, beaten, and threatened Protestants, Catholics, and members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, as well as participated in anti-Semitic acts.

Police, local authorities, and hired men in Vietnam ‘s Binh Duong Province began a campaign of harassment against an unregistered Mennonite group in June, according to their pastors. Church leaders reported government forces throughout the year raided Bible classes, detained and beat congregants, and harassed members of the religious community. Reports also state that hired men prevented the movement of church members, vandalized a Mennonite church, and barred followers from leaving their houses.

At the start of 2015, it was reported by Christian Solidarity Worldwide  that “Violations of religious freedom are increasing in Cuba, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.The number of recorded violations has risen year on year. There were 220 recorded incidences in 2014, up from 180 the previous year, 120 in 2012, and 40 in 2011.The incidences have also become more violent, with cases of Protestant pastors being arbitrarily detained or beaten and churches being demolished…

“Religious life in Cuba is regulated by the Communist Party’s Office of Religious Affairs (ORA), which has the power to recognise certain religious groups and permit them to build new premises while denying others. But even churches that are registered, legally operating church can face intimidation. CSW’s spokesperson said members of the congregation can be threatened with losing their jobs, pastors’ children are often singled out at school, and the ORA can refuse to allow building repair work to be done. Unregistered churches can experience anything from the confiscation of property to the demolition of the church building.”

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Persecution of Christians

This is an appropriate week to review the persecution suffered by Christians throughout the planet.

Open Doors USA  notes that in an average month:  332 Christians are killed for their faith; 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed; and 772 forms of violence, including beatings, abductions, rapes, and forced marriages, are committed against Christians.

According to Open Doors “Islamic extremists capitalized on the instability of the region to seize power. In countries like Syria, Iraq and Yemen, the unprecedented violence held horrific consequences for Christians. Today, virtually all personal rights have been rescinded and Christians have been the targets of violence and murder. Women and girls of the region have become victims of human trafficking, forced marriages and sexual slavery.” Persecution is greatest in North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Eritrea, and Nigeria. China is also one of the worst offenders, along with most Islamic nations.

“The prediction that the Arab Spring would lead to greater freedom for minority voices in Arab nations has, sadly, not panned out,” said Open Doors President and CEO David Curry. “To the contrary, the overall impact of the Arab Spring on Christians in the region has been catastrophic…

“… the full impact of the Arab Spring has yet to be felt. In Syria alone, 700,000 Christians have fled the nation. The Islamic State is executing a mission to remove or harm all Christians. Historic churches across the region have been burned or bombed. While the Western world focuses on the potential impact of an influx of refugees on their own nations, the situation in the region remains dire.”

There is significant controversy in the United States, which, led by the Obama Administration, endorsed the Arab Spring movement. Despite being among the most persecuted groups to have suffered repression in Syria, only an extremely small percentage of refugees granted asylum.

The Pew Center  reports that “over 75% of the world’s population lives in areas with severe religious restrictions (and many of these people are Christians).  Also, according to the United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ.”

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission , reviewing U.S. State department data,  finds that “Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Christ. In 41 of the 50 worst nations for persecution, Christians are being persecuted by Islamic extremists.”
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According to the United States State Department’s report on Religious Freedom:

“In Mosul, Iraq and nearby towns, shortly after the takeover of the area by militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Christians who had been given the choice to convert, pay a ruinous tax, or die, gathered their families and what few possessions they could carry, and sought all possible means to escape. Their community, having been a part of the rich culture and history of this city for more than a thousand years, was being threatened.

“Three-year old Christina Khader Ebada boarded a crowded bus with her mother to leave when suddenly one of the fighters guarding the checkpoint tore Christina from her mother’s arms. The panicked mother followed him, pleading with him to return the girl. “Shut up,” he responded. “If you come close to this little girl you will be slaughtered; we will slaughter you.” And she was forced back on the bus, leaving her baby behind, never to know what became of her.  Christina and her family were also victims of ISIL’s brutal persecution, which has targeted all those, including religious and ethnic minorities, who oppose or do not fit in with ISIL’s ideological vision and its categorical and violent opposition to religious freedom.

“David Saperstein, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (IRF) has said, “There is an absolute and unequivocal need to give voice to the religiously oppressed in every land afraid to speak of what they believe in; who face death and live in fear, who worship in underground churches, mosques or temples, who feel so desperate that they flee their homes to avoid killing and persecution simply because they love God in their own way or question the existence of God.”

“… Non-State Actors, including rebel and terrorist organizations… committed by far some of the most egregious human rights abuses and caused significant damage to the global status of respect for religious freedom. In some cases, government failure, delay, and inadequacy in combatting these groups and other societal actors had severe consequences for people living under dire religious freedom conditions

“In the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and throughout Asia, a range of non-state actors including terrorist organizations, have set their sights on destroying religious diversity. Members of religious groups were disproportionately affected, often suffering harsh and hateful treatment of non-state actors. In these regions, religious intolerance and hostility, often combined with political, economic and ethnic grievances, frequently led to violence. Governments stood by, either unwilling or unable to act in response to the resulting death, injuries and displacement.”

 

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U.S. allies boost defense spending in response to growing danger

It has been a familiar refrain, from those seeking to further reduce the already dramatically shrunken U.S. defense budget, that America’s allies aren’t doing their part. Obviously, they haven’t been paying attention. From one end of the planet to the other, Washington’s friends are hiking their military spending even as the U.S. continues to dangerously defund its armed forces.

The Philippines have drastically increased its defense budget by 25%, notes Defense News. to a record high level for that nation.

Korea Observer reports that South Korea’s defense budget will increase by 4%.

Japan Today  reports that Tokyo’s defense budget will exceed five trillion yen for the first time. The budget even includes funding for a controversial U.S. military base to replace the U.S. Marine Corps’s Futenma air base on the southern island of Okinawa, host to the bulk of U.S. military forces in Japan.

The United Kingdom’s  defense spending has risen fairly steadily throughout the 21st Century.

UPI reports that France will increase its 2016 defense budget .

Defense News reveals that “The German government under Chancellor Angela Merkel has approved plans to increase defense spending by 6.2 percent over the next five years.

Reuters reports that Lithuania will increase its defense spending by a third.

Perhaps the most significant dedication to countering the rising threats from the new and dangerous military threats from the Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and North Korean axis can be found in Poland, which has hiked its military expenditures by 18%. In fact, an Ozy review  emphasizes: “A new military power may be rising on the plains of Central Europe. According to data recently released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a leading tracker of global defense spending, Poland’s military outlays last year jumped higher than any other country in Europe bar Ukraine, which is in the midst of a full-blown war. That includes Russia, which is on the other side of that war in Ukraine. In 2015, Poland’s plans for military spending top $10 billion. This is part and parcel of a 10-year, $36 billion modernization plan Warsaw launched in February to bulk up its defenses.”
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Digital Journal,  In fact, states that “NATO-member Poland has kicked off an unprecedented military spending spree worth billions to overhaul its forces as Warsaw believes peace in Europe is no longer a given…Poland has earmarked 33.6 billion euros ($42 billion) on [upgrades] over a decade, which includes a missile shield and anti-aircraft systems, armoured personnel carriers and submarines as well as combat drones…Its long shopping list is full of pricey items including multi-role and combat helicopters, an anti-missile system and cruise missiles for submarines and drones.”

Poland’s tragic 20th century history, which saw it invaded by both Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany, gives that nation’s leadership a sober view of looming danger.

IBI Times  reports that Poland, in addition to its NATO obligations, has signed a military cooperation agreement with Sweden over Russia’s increased military activity in the Baltic Sea. “Once a sea of peace, the Baltic has become a sea of danger,” said Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak. Sweden had already signed military agreements with Denmark and Finland as Russia’s actions continue to reverberate across the region.”

Defense News  notes that Poland is taking a leading role in assisting the defense plans of nations formerly occupied by the Soviet Union. In October, Poland began its “Regional Security Assistance Program”  to help Eastern European arm to defend itself against Moscow.  Poland seeks to “boost defense and industrial cooperation with the Visegrad Group countries — Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic — as well as Romania, Bulgaria and the three Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia…local analysts said the move is part of a comprehensive strategy by Poland to enhance regional defense and security cooperation.”

America and its allies face a swiftly growing threat.

In Europe, Forbes notes that “From 2013 to 2014 Russia’s military budget increased by 26% in nominal terms. Hikes of a generally similar magnitude [were] announced for 2015…”

In Asia, Foreign Affairs notes “ in almost every year for over almost two decades, China increased its military expenditure by double-digit percentages” This years’ increase is 10.1%. At the same time, North Korea http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2015/04/14/rok-report-on-dprk-military-spending/ has increased its defense spending by 16 percent over the past five years.

In the Middle East, Business Insider stresses that Iran’s military budget is going to get a huge boost from the nuclear deal.

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Montenegro may join NATO

NATO has invited Montenegro to begin the process of joining NATO.  It could become the alliance’s 29th member.

NATO secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed the decision as “historic,” noting that “This is a good day for Montenegro, a good day for the Western Balkans and a good day for the alliance.”

Since 2009, NATO and Montenegro have worked closely together through the Membership Action Plan, which helps nations prepare for possible future membership. Stoltenberg said the decision reflected Montenegro’s “unwavering commitment to our common values and to international security” but advised Montenegro to continue on its reform path, “on defense adaptation, on domestic reform, especially rule of law, and to continue to make progress in demonstrating public support for Montenegro’s NATO membership.”

The negotiations will start in early 2016. Once they are concluded, NATO members will sign an “accession protocol” which will have to be ratified by parliaments in all 28 Allies. Once that process is completed, Montenegro will be able to accede to the Washington Treaty and become a member of the Alliance.

According to NATO sources, the alliance is open to any European country in a position to undertake the commitments and obligations of membership, and contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area. Since 1949, NATO’s membership has increased from 12 to 28 countries through six rounds of enlargement. Currently, four partner countries have declared their aspirations to NATO membership: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The alliance emphasizes that its ongoing enlargement process “poses no threat to any other country, [and] is aimed at promoting stability and cooperation, at building a Europe whole and free, united in peace, democracy and common values.

Actually pharmacists get huge commission on selling lowest priced viagra branded pills, syrups and capsules. The grounds for some sorts ordering cialis online of impotence can be hypertension – constant spasm of blood vessels. You can regain your lost penile power and have a healthy love life with oral cialis 5 mg ED medicines. Such rigid This drugstore order cheap viagra erection is not impossible to build. Other nations are seeking or considering NATO membership. Macedonia has been assured that it will be invited to become a member as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the issue over the country’s name has been reached with Greece. Bosnia and Herzegovina was invited to join the Membership Action Plan in April 2010 but its participation is pending the resolution of a key issue concerning immovable defense property. At the 2008 Bucharest Summit, the Allies agreed that Georgia and Ukraine will become members of NATO in the future (since 2010, Ukraine has not been formally pursuing membership.)

In what would be a very significant move, some in Sweden are advocating joining the alliance. However, as noted by Business Insider  “Russia’s ambassador to Sweden has warned the country of the potential military ‘consequences’ associated with joining NATO. In an interview with the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter…Russian Ambassador Viktor Tatarintsev told Dagens Nyheter that Russia does not have any military plans against Sweden, in line with Stockholm’s alliance neutrality. But Tatarintsev warned that this could change if Sweden were to join the NATO alliance…Putin pointed out that there will be consequences, ‘that Russia will have to resort to a response of the military kind and re-orientate our troops and missiles,’ the ambassador said. ‘The country that joins NATO needs to be aware of the risks it is exposing itself to’…An October 2014 poll showed 37% of Swedes were in favor of joining NATO with 36% of Swedes against — the first time that more Swedes have favored joining the alliance than not. This swing in public opinion could be in response to a series of aggressive and provocative Russian actions throughout the region.”

Russian air and naval forces have, over the past several years, engaged in provocative incursions into Swedish territory.

On September 2, notes the website antiwar.com  reported that“The Ukrainian National Security Council formally declaring neighboring Russia to be a ‘military opponent’ and making it a specific priority for the country to try to secure NATO membership .”

Current NATO members include Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, The United Kingdom, and The United States.

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Dying patients seek the”Right to Try” experimental drugs

As the new year approaches, critically ill Americans are desperately hoping that Washington finally enacts comprehensive “Right to try” legislation.

The Right to try concept allows terminally ill people access to experimental drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, if recommended by a physician. According to the New York Times  “Instead of relying on the F.D.A. to move quickly, the “right to try” laws seek to speed up access by eliminating the F.D.A. from the process entirely. Once a doctor and patient decide that an experimental drug is the right choice, the laws let them apply to the drug company directly.”

According to Regulation Tracker  “Since early 2014, more than 20 states have introduced so-called “Right to Try” bills in the hopes of allowing terminally ill patients to access experimental—and potentially life-saving—treatments more easily. These bills are modeled off a federal policy known as “Compassionate Use,” but contain several key changes meant to make it faster and easier for patients to obtain experimental therapies.”

There is a glaring lack of logic in the practice of withholding experimental medications that may hold the only source of hope for patients facing death. There is also a serious legal and constitutional issue, as well. There is no obvious right or grant of power to Washington to intervene in the decision of qualified physician to attempt every possible measure to save the life of a terminally ill patient.

According to the Washington Post,  “Opponents of the approach call it an ill-advised effort that circumvents federal law, undermines the drug development process and threatens to harm more people than it helps by providing access to medications that haven’t been proven safe and effective.”

The Goldwater Institute notes: “For patients suffering from terminal illnesses, the FDA is the arbiter of life and death. These patients, suffering from diseases ranging from ALS to Zellweger Syndrome, face little chance of recovery… The FDA, however, often stands between the patients and the treatments that may alleviate their symptoms or provide a cure. To access these treatments, patients must either go through a lengthy FDA exemption process or wait for the treatments to receive FDA approval, which can take a decade or more and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Sadly, over half a million cancer patients and thousands of patients with other terminal illnesses die each year as the bureaucratic wheels at the FDA slowly turn.
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“Patients should be free to exercise a basic freedom – attempting to preserve one’s own life. The burdens imposed on a terminal patient who fights to save his or her own life are a violation of personal liberty. Such people should have the option of accessing investigational drugs which have passed basic safety tests, provided there is a doctor’s recommendation, informed consent, and the willingness of the manufacturer of the medication to make such drugs available.

“States should enact “Right to Try” measures to protect the fundamental right of people to try to save their own lives. Designed by the Goldwater Institute, this initiative would allow terminal patients access to investigational drugs that have completed basic safety testing, thereby dramatically reducing paperwork, wait times and bureaucracy, and, most importantly, potentially saving lives…

“The FDA is concerned that allowing wider access to investigational medications outside the clinical trial setting will create a lack of test subjects who are willing to join a clinical trial, because in clinical trials some patients receive placebos or already approved medications instead of the investigational drug. The agency argues that freer access to such medications would discourage enrollment in the double blind clinical trials and ultimately harm scientific understanding of the medications. Therefore, the FDA puts protection of the clinical-trial process above the lives of terminally ill patients.

“Beyond the lack of humanity inherent in this policy, there are additional flaws to the FDA’s position. Experimental medications designed to treat terminal illnesses are only a subset of the drugs undergoing clinical trials.The FDA’s position makes the assumption that the current clinical trial process, complete with the double blind studies, is the only sound way to test new medications. However, many scholars and even the former Director of the FDA, Andrew von Eschenbach, have urged alternatives to the current clinical trial process.  Nevertheless, the agency continues to place its outdated processes above all other concerns.”

As Washington hesitates, state governments are acting. 23 states have enacted various forms of Right to try laws, and another 13 are considering similar bills.

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America’s future is being defunded

There is a general misconception that funding for the National Aeronautics & Space Administration, (NASA) is a luxury, even though it consumes a mere one-half of one percent of the federal budget.  The fact is, for America’s economy, its national security, and the health of the planetary environment, space is absolutely essential. There is, perhaps, even more at stake. Stephen Hawking emphasizes that “the long term future of the human race must be space… it represents an important life insurance for our future survival…”

Whether NASA gets the funding it needs remains an open question. Space News notes that  “NASA is currently spending money on its key exploration programs at a rate that assumes Congress will approve a budget increase in the next month, a move that could delay some efforts should the additional funds not materialize.”

At risk is whether the space agency will be able to resume its human space flight program any time in the near future.  Recent estimates indicate that the earliest a NASA-designed crewed spacecraft will carry astronauts into orbit will be well into the next decade.  President Obama prematurely cancelled the Space Shuttle program, then defunded what had been planned to be its immediate manned spacecraft replacement, the Constellation system. The Orion system is the next on the list, if funding for that effort continues at an adequate pace.

It’s an open disgrace that America must pay exorbitant amounts to Russia for American astronauts to hitchhike on their spacecraft to reach the space station that was largely built by NASA.

The Council on Foreign Relations  (CFR) reports that “Space policy experts agree that NASA faces short- and long-term challenges, including new budget pressures, aging infrastructure, the rise of competing spacefaring nations, and the lack of a strong national vision for human spaceflight. An independent assessment conducted by the National Research Council in 2012 questioned plans for not pursuing a return to the moon: “[The] lack of national and international consensus … undermines NASA’s ability to establish a comprehensive, consistent strategic direction.” The report also noted that a crewed mission to Mars “has never received sufficient funding to advance beyond the rhetoric stage.”

CFR warns that “Space policymakers must clarify NASA’s purpose, missions, and methods. How should NASA balance the goals of driving scientific discovery, promoting U.S. prestige, enhancing national security, and developing innovations with commercial benefits? What role should the private sector play? How much should NASA be a vehicle for international cooperation and diplomacy? How should U.S. space exploration inspire the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students?
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Most experts advocate sustaining U.S. leadership in space. “I’m convinced that in this century the nations that lead in the world are going to be those that create new knowledge. And one of the places where you have a huge opportunity to create new knowledge will be exploration of the universe, exploration of the solar system, and the building of technology that allows you to do that,” said former congressman and aerospace expert Robert Walker at a CFR meeting on space policy in 2013.”

While Washington dithers, other nations are moving ahead at full speed. Yahoo reports  that Russia’s space agency is planning to build a permanent, manned moon base. Many other nations, noting the vital economic and military needs for space prowess, are moving quickly ahead as well.

CNN reports that “China by virtue of the ambition of its space program stands out. Already, it has managed to land a rover on the Moon and to return an unmanned spacecraft from orbiting the Moon as part of its preparation for an eventual manned landing. It also aims to have a manned space station operational by 2020.”

It’s not just nations traditionally thought of as great military or economic superpowers that are serious about advanced space activities.  The Diplomat reports that   “India recently made history, when its Mars Orbiter Mission successfully entered the Martian orbit. In doing so, it became the first country to enter Mars’ orbit on its first attempt and also the first Asian country to reach the red planet…India is among a handful of countries to have carried out deep space missions, and it was on its first such mission in 2008 that its spacecraft Chandrayaan entered the moon’s orbit. It was on this mission too that water was detected on the lunar surface. It has the biggest remote sensing satellite network in the world. It is also among a select group of countries that provide commercial satellite launch services – putting into space 67 satellites, including 40 foreign satellites from 19 countries…”

While other powers move ahead, NASA continues to face a future clouded by uncertainty and a profound lack of support by the current White House. Technology expert Aaron Andre   reasoned three years ago that “for about the cost of two weeks of the Olympic Games we could have sent over another five rovers to Mars. In fact, the amount of money needed to fund the Olympic Games could fund NASA for nearly an entire year.”

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FCC case latest battleground in effort to restrict First Amendment

Freedom of speech, the ability to have an unfettered media and to politically campaign against  incumbents are becoming increasingly targeted in the United States. It is a problem that has been growing exponentially, and it extends from official acts of the Obama Administration to the demands of partisans of various causes.

The Federal Court of Appeals will soon decide the U.S. telecom Association vs. the FCC  case in which the Association seeks to overturn a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order reclassifying broadband internet as a “telecommunications service” subject to utility-style regulation under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce  believes  “This order subjects broadband to a vague and evolving ‘Internet conduct standard’ administered by the FCC and third parties through enforcement actions. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, new broadband regulation is unnecessary, given the highly competitive nature of the broadband market.

Mr. Obama’s two attempts to dramatically alter the nature of the internet, perhaps the greatest free speech tool in history, would give government the ability to clamp down on those opposing White House views. Moving control from a nonpartisan and private U.S. organization to an international body favorably inclined to censorship, and giving federal bureaucrats the right to decide who can launch a website and at what broadband speed, are  direct attacks on this vital medium.

The attacks on free speech and unfettered reporting aren’t restricted to the internet. In what was one of the most controversial programs ever initiated by a federal agency, the Federal Communications Commission, led by Obama appointees, attempted to develop an effort entitled “critical information needs” (known as CIN) involving federal oversight of broadcasters and journalists throughout America. It would have placed government employees in the private internal conversations and meetings of journalists, media organizations, and even internet sites.

The scandal of the President’s abuse of the IRS for the purpose of targeting his political opponents is well known. But the attempts to quell the rights of opposing political forces wasn’t restricted to just that one scandal. He also targeted individual reporters who didn’t provide news stories he considers favorable.

Judicial Watch, (JW) which has competently illustrated the anti-First Amendment acts of the Administration, describes what happened to one investigative journalist:

“Sharyl Attkisson is an investigative journalist and author of the New York Times best seller Stonewalled.  On November 19, 2014, JW joined with her to file a Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Justice seeking ‘any and all records’ relating to FBI background checks and other records on the award-winning correspondent. [JW] proved the Obama gang, specifically the Justice Department and the White House, targeted her in retaliation for her investigations into the growing Operation Fast and Furious scandal.  In an October 4, 2011, email to White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz, Attorney General Eric Holder’s top press aide, Tracy Schmaler, described Attkisson as ‘out of control’ Schmaler added ominously, ‘I’m also calling Sharryl’s [sic] editor and reaching out to Scheiffer’ (an apparent reference to CBS’ Chief Washington Correspondent and Face the Nation moderator Bob Scheiffer).  Schultz responded, ‘Good.  Her piece was really bad for the AG.”

In 2014,  Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced a measure in the Senate to amend the First Amendment in order to be able to restrict paid political speech.  He garnered 41 votes. Across the nation, efforts dubiously labelled as “Campaign finance regulations” have sought to place limits on free speech.

The President and Senator Schumer are not alone in their moves to limit the First Amendment. Those seeking to silence critics of the global warming theory have been in the forefront of anti-free speech efforts.

In New York State, for example, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, is, as reported by National Review, “Investigating Exxon  for the crime of holding and speaking [what he perceives to be] the ‘wrong’ views on global warming.

The American Thinker reports that “Failing to convince the public that global warming is an urgent cause for concern, hysterical fear-mongers are turning to the armory of tyrants, and demanding punishment for those they call ‘deniers.’…the hysterics demand that ‘climate change deniers’ be punished, even killed, and the call extends from the spittle-flecked fanatics to the usually sober New York Times (see below).  Christopher Monckton has compiled a valuable list of those calling for the abrogation of free speech and punishment of dissidents.”
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Among Monckton’s examples:

2007: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lashed out at global warming skeptics, saying: “This is treason. And we need to start treating them as traitors.” The penalty for treason is death.

2007: Yvo de Boer, secretary general of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said ignoring the urgency of global warming would be “criminally irresponsible”.

2007: Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, a UN special climate envoy, said: “It’s completely immoral even to question” the UN’s scientific opinion on climate.

2008: Dr James Hansen of NASA demanded that skeptics be “put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature”. The penalty for crimes against humanity is death.

2010: Dr. Donald Brown, Professor of “Climate Ethics” at Penn State University, declared that skeptics, who had caused “a 25-year delay in acting to stop climate change”, may be guilty of a “new crime against humanity”. The penalty for crimes against humanity is death.

2014: Dr Lawrence Torcello, assistant philosophy professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, wrote that people who disagreed with him should be sent to jail.

2014: The gawker.com website said: “Those denialists should face jail. They should face fines. They should face lawsuits from the classes of people whose lives and livelihoods are most threatened by denialist tactics.”

2014: The host of MSNBC’s The Ed Show promoted Soviet-style re-education for climate skeptic politicians by conducting an on-air poll on the question “Should climate-denying Republicans be forced to take a basic earth science course?”

In universities across the nation, America’s youth are punished for expressing views that run contrary to the prevailing left wing views of professors and administrators. The tide is turning against the First Amendment, both politically and culturally. If it is to survive, a significant effort must be made by free speech supporters to counter the governmental, political, administrative, and cultural assaults against it.