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It has been known for some time that the Social Security fund was inadequate to cover the retirement of the baby boomer generation. However, the recent unemployment spike–now at 5.1 million without work–has moved the insolvency of the Social Security fund to next year.
For some time the Social Security fund actually ran a surplus and the US government borrowed this surplus to fund other programs (like military and bailouts). Now that this will be gone, they will have to resort to printing more dollars and selling more US treasuries to not only cover the programs that were funded by the surplus in Social Security, but also to pay for Social Security itself.
So why does this matter? As the recent bailouts–now reaching $13 trillion–show the government can continue just borrowing money and paying it back later, right?
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There was a plan to build a landfill a few miles from where I live near the Withlacoochee River, which contains the headwaters of four major rivers and is the source of drinking water for most of central Florida. If it wasn’t for intense pressure by not just individuals but grassroots organizations, myself and many others would likely have been drinking contaminated leachate:
The state Department of Environmental Protection Thursday ruled Angelo’s Aggregate Materials failed to prove the project site was geologically stable and that its design would prevent leaks that could contaminate drinking water supplies… thanks to continued community opposition, formal objections by local governments in Pasco and Hillsborough and effective lobbying by some landowners, the state officials wised up. [TBO]
Yey for people power!
When does “They won’t work in my White House!” mean they will? With a politician of course. One of Obama’s major campaign promises was to not allow lobbyists on his staff. The elections just happened and he’s already tossing this promise out the window:
A day after being elected president and acknowledging “the worst financial crisis in a century,” Barack Obama asked one of the biggest recipients of Wall Street campaign contributions to be his chief of staff. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois congressman who was an aide in the Clinton White House, was the top House recipient in the 2008 election cycle of contributions from hedge funds, private equity firms and the larger securities/investment industry… Emanuel was an investment banker between the Clinton administration and his election to Congress and reported a net worth in 2007 of between $5 million and $13.2 million (lawmakers report their assets and liabilities in ranges). That would make him the 34th wealthiest member of the House. [Center For Responsive Politics]
Living with our parents and saving up has finally paid off. Christina stumbled upon this relatively cheap bank-owned property that had everything we wanted: 5 acres, development potential for permaculture/living off the land, near her work, and backing up to preserved land (the 172,000 acre Withlacoochee State Forest). It was a whirlwind dealing with the bank owner, middle men/women, lenders, inspectors, closing costs, false alarms, document errors, bleh. But with some gracious help from Christina’s mom (not to mention letting us stay at her home) and an agent staying on top of it, we were able to pull it off in the knick of a time right before the credit crunch came in full swing this late September. Also thanks to the family for all the hand me downs and being there for us once again to help us move.
Bayer Pesticide Chemicals Linked to Devastating Collapse of Honeybee Populations
German government researchers have concluded that a bestselling Bayer pesticide is responsible for the recent massive die-off of honeybees across the country’s Baden-Württemberg region. In response, the government has banned an entire family of pesticides, fueling accusations that pesticides may be responsible for the current worldwide epidemic of honeybee die-offs.
Around the world, honeybee stocks are in decline, which scientists have warned could have devastating impacts on global food supplies. A total of 80 percent of world food crops are primarily or exclusively pollinated by honeybees, amounting to 130 crops and $15 billion worth of food each year in the United States alone. Yet two million honeybee colonies have been lost in the United States in recent years, with massive dieoffs also reported across Europe and in Taiwan, where 10 million bees recently disappeared over the course of only two weeks.
Bees are used as factory workers in industrialized farming, making a crop like almonds totally dependent on them.
Teen Girls’ Body Burden of Hormone-Altering Cosmetics Chemicals
Laboratory tests reveal adolescent girls across America are contaminated with chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products. Environmental Working Group (EWG) detected 16 chemicals from 4 chemical families – phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and musks – in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls aged 14-19. Studies link these chemicals to potential health effects including cancer and hormone disruption.
The EWG has a nice database for finding out what’s in your products.
Japan’s young turn to Communist Party as they decide capitalism has let them down
New recruits are signing up at the rate of 1,000 a month, swelling its ranks to more than 415,000. Meanwhile a classic proletarian novel is at the top of the best-seller lists, and communist-themed “manga” comics are enjoying soaring success.
A further sign of disaffection among young Japanese – who in recent years have been more renowned for their political apathy than their revolutionary zeal – is the increasing frequency of rallies by workers on the streets of the capital.
I think another potentially positive aspect of economic instability and less “business as usual” is the increased openness to social change.
A very interesting thread on the forums of the Permaculture Research Institute prompted me to think about profiting off others. Echoing some of the “leaders” in the permaculture movement, most posters saw nothing inherently wrong with profit, as long as it was used for doing good like “ethical investing” and “giving back.” Besides, many of them said, it’s impossible to live without profit. I thought it was curious that people who claimed it’s possible on a societal level to actually live sustainably with nature suddenly became fatalistic and considered other changes too far a stretch of the imagination.
I’m still struggling with the question I stumbled upon 5 years ago. How can I engage in social change? Meaning, how can I support the proliferation of love, autonomy, and well-being rather than the proliferation of hatred, mass destruction, and inequality? How can I ultimately live with rather than at the expense of others, both people and planet?
For the past 3 or so years, I pursued traditional political activism as the way to positive social change. I was involved in many organizations and actions that I thought would lead to this end. I feel like I did accomplish a lot: feeding some of those who were hungry, providing some shelter to the homeless, creating dialogue/awareness about a lot of issues, connecting with many different people from a wide range of backgrounds, and causing some good ol’ ruckus.
