In the World Happiness Report, the United States is definitely not near the top of the list. The countries who rank the highest also have the highest ratings of happiness of the immigrant population and the native population is happy to have immigrants. the United States on the other hand rates high on the three emerging health problems that threaten happiness: obesity, the opioid crisis, and depression. So, if we have such an unhappy population, those who are the most unhappy are looking for someone who will offer a solution that is simplistic and puts the blame on others. Currently in the United States blame of immigrants has been a popular issue for the MAGA Republicans. Historically minority groups were blamed, but now they have strong advocacy organizations. Undocumented immigrants have few to stand for them so they are an easy target. They are not the cause of obesity, the opioid crisis or depression but they bear the brunt of being held out as scapegoats by Trump, and the Republican (Fascist) party. Thank you Professor Reich for the facts. I might use this information to write a Letter to the Editor. In a small town paper, those that have survived, the editors often look for letters that can stir up some debate.
Please keep posting to articles like this fact filled one. I save them and use them as talking points when debating the right-wing lies. You're not "preaching to the choir" you're giving us the resource's we need to get the truth out there.
Thank you Prof Reich! Yes, the rethuglicans' prime motive is FEAR. And of course that *fear* is turbocharged by misinformation. Thanks for helping arm us with the facts to counter that misinformation.
I can’t help but be reminded of Melanie’s coat that she wore when visiting the southern border detention camps. The message “ I really don’t care, do you?” is about as honest as I could imagine. Believe them when they tell you.
I saw Bidens South Carolina speech and I can say that was a zinger. It was better than his Jan 6 speech. He spoke about negotiating drug prices for everyone. Even if that was a Biden gaff bravo! The gloves are off baby, this is gonna be a good fight. I am attaching a link to his speech on PBS here.
I’ve alway found it humorous that not just the extreme right but “ordinary “ citizens think that drug smugglers are crossing the border by swimming the rio grande or hiking the desert. Aside from the tunnels or private planes, they cross at check points and various legal points of entry. The people escaping cartel violence and food insecurity are not sitting in trailers synthesizing narcotics. Every Republican should be forced to watch the film “The Counselor”.
Trump's BS is coming from a second generation IMMIGRANT who is married to an IMMIGRANT who may have come into the country illegally. As far as I've been able to tell, the U.S. (yep even Trump has discovered that spells "us") is TOTALLY a nation of IMMIGRANTS. Even the "Native Americans" are descendants of IMMIGRANTS who migrated to North America from Asia via what was then the "land bridge" between today's Alaska and Russia. Trump's "demagoguery" is simply more RACIST BS coming out of his mouth - which should be "washed out with soap" - although even that wouldn't stop the incessant LYING coming from our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING four times INDICTED (ex) president. Sadly those in his CULT thrive off every word he says - with absolutely no willingness to "fact check" anything. To me, that means his CULT followers are "willfully STUPID." As a retired Middle School teacher I hate that word, but can't think of any other explanation for their being part of Trump's base/CULT. This is truly a fascist movement which will only stop if "we the peop;le" commit to voting republicans into the history books along with their fuhrer - right next to Benedict Arnold!
Thank you again for an important and well-written post, Robert. I appreciate having your kind, sensible, and intelligently laid-out information at my fingertips day after day. Substacks like yours and that of Heather Cox Richardson are the daily armor I put on for our deeply troubling times, times in the face of which Vice President Kamala Harris has implored us to, "... not throw up our hands when it’s time to roll up our sleeves." Indeed.
Thanks Robert. As an outsider it appears that Trump' coup attempt has regained energy over the last 12 months and now seems to be actively supported and even driven by the whole of the GOP with the backing of oligarchs, big Industry and legal strategists. The threat to Democracy now is much bigger than in Jan21 and take over plans and strategies are being discusses spread openly........... but the average American does not seem to care and that is very worrying as it was always believed that a fair election would stop this threat. If the American people cannot be mobilised to vote in a large majority to defend democracy, it will loose. After the 22 elections I mentioned that the fight for Democracy was still a uphill battle. It looks like the hill has become much steeper. I am worried for the American people but also for the consequences it has for the rest of the world. The signs are there but we seem to refuse to see them,
These types of letters that you write Robert are how these kinds of topics should be told to others in such simplistic manner as you have beautifully written. You explain the lies with the truth and you do it very well. Trumps own wife was an immigrant - but I guess if you were a model who could put up with him then that doesn’t count. Republicans do not want to “solve” the problems with the boarder (or else they would not be trying to take money away from CBP) because they would have nothing to campaign on. That should be in the headlines about them instead of the false statements and repugnant comments that they blast on repeat. I don’t understand why some people who have come from countries south of our boarder are actually going to vote for trump. The republicans are not for law and order (obviously - unless it benefits them) nor are they for any of the other topics/people they campaign on.
About 6 months ago, I had a person point toward me (motioning to my and her lily-whiteness) and say, our families immigrated, right? Yes, I said. Then she proceeded to say that, our families were successful and made it because of hard work. I saw where she was going. So I said yes we did work hard but we would still be poor and have very little, if it weren't for government policies and programs of FDR in the 1930's who gave us Social Security, worker's rights, work programs, and other New Deals for our ancestors and LBJ policies of Medicare, Medicaid, Civil Rights, and union support. And minimum wage helped our families rise up too.. Without these government programs, our families would still be poor. She didn't know what to say. What could she say? To the whole truth she had never been told. She had her whole life been operating on only a part truth.
This ugly scapegoating can be seen in Europe too. It is terrible.
What it is leading to, might be even more terrible. When I see the Trump supporters being interviewed, I feel that rationality is totally gone. That is not promising good for the campaign: politics should be about something, about goals and means to reach them.
Trump was the poster boy for receipt of employer sanctions for hiring illegals. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/nyregion/trump-tower-illegal-immigrant-workers-union-settlement.html
He uses temporary work visas to displace American workers on his properties.
In the World Happiness Report, the United States is definitely not near the top of the list. The countries who rank the highest also have the highest ratings of happiness of the immigrant population and the native population is happy to have immigrants. the United States on the other hand rates high on the three emerging health problems that threaten happiness: obesity, the opioid crisis, and depression. So, if we have such an unhappy population, those who are the most unhappy are looking for someone who will offer a solution that is simplistic and puts the blame on others. Currently in the United States blame of immigrants has been a popular issue for the MAGA Republicans. Historically minority groups were blamed, but now they have strong advocacy organizations. Undocumented immigrants have few to stand for them so they are an easy target. They are not the cause of obesity, the opioid crisis or depression but they bear the brunt of being held out as scapegoats by Trump, and the Republican (Fascist) party. Thank you Professor Reich for the facts. I might use this information to write a Letter to the Editor. In a small town paper, those that have survived, the editors often look for letters that can stir up some debate.
CONGRESS: Biden must do something about the US Border Crisis!
BIDEN: You can help by providing funding for Border Reform.
CONGRESS: Nice try.
Please keep posting to articles like this fact filled one. I save them and use them as talking points when debating the right-wing lies. You're not "preaching to the choir" you're giving us the resource's we need to get the truth out there.
Thank you Prof Reich! Yes, the rethuglicans' prime motive is FEAR. And of course that *fear* is turbocharged by misinformation. Thanks for helping arm us with the facts to counter that misinformation.
Let’s start saying: “I’m the grandson of immigrants; how about you “.
I can’t help but be reminded of Melanie’s coat that she wore when visiting the southern border detention camps. The message “ I really don’t care, do you?” is about as honest as I could imagine. Believe them when they tell you.
I saw Bidens South Carolina speech and I can say that was a zinger. It was better than his Jan 6 speech. He spoke about negotiating drug prices for everyone. Even if that was a Biden gaff bravo! The gloves are off baby, this is gonna be a good fight. I am attaching a link to his speech on PBS here.
https://www.youtube.com/live/O2D_jrbqT14?si=q3WF5MEteOuoD1Xq
I’ve alway found it humorous that not just the extreme right but “ordinary “ citizens think that drug smugglers are crossing the border by swimming the rio grande or hiking the desert. Aside from the tunnels or private planes, they cross at check points and various legal points of entry. The people escaping cartel violence and food insecurity are not sitting in trailers synthesizing narcotics. Every Republican should be forced to watch the film “The Counselor”.
Trump's BS is coming from a second generation IMMIGRANT who is married to an IMMIGRANT who may have come into the country illegally. As far as I've been able to tell, the U.S. (yep even Trump has discovered that spells "us") is TOTALLY a nation of IMMIGRANTS. Even the "Native Americans" are descendants of IMMIGRANTS who migrated to North America from Asia via what was then the "land bridge" between today's Alaska and Russia. Trump's "demagoguery" is simply more RACIST BS coming out of his mouth - which should be "washed out with soap" - although even that wouldn't stop the incessant LYING coming from our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING four times INDICTED (ex) president. Sadly those in his CULT thrive off every word he says - with absolutely no willingness to "fact check" anything. To me, that means his CULT followers are "willfully STUPID." As a retired Middle School teacher I hate that word, but can't think of any other explanation for their being part of Trump's base/CULT. This is truly a fascist movement which will only stop if "we the peop;le" commit to voting republicans into the history books along with their fuhrer - right next to Benedict Arnold!
Thank you again for an important and well-written post, Robert. I appreciate having your kind, sensible, and intelligently laid-out information at my fingertips day after day. Substacks like yours and that of Heather Cox Richardson are the daily armor I put on for our deeply troubling times, times in the face of which Vice President Kamala Harris has implored us to, "... not throw up our hands when it’s time to roll up our sleeves." Indeed.
Thanks Robert. As an outsider it appears that Trump' coup attempt has regained energy over the last 12 months and now seems to be actively supported and even driven by the whole of the GOP with the backing of oligarchs, big Industry and legal strategists. The threat to Democracy now is much bigger than in Jan21 and take over plans and strategies are being discusses spread openly........... but the average American does not seem to care and that is very worrying as it was always believed that a fair election would stop this threat. If the American people cannot be mobilised to vote in a large majority to defend democracy, it will loose. After the 22 elections I mentioned that the fight for Democracy was still a uphill battle. It looks like the hill has become much steeper. I am worried for the American people but also for the consequences it has for the rest of the world. The signs are there but we seem to refuse to see them,
These types of letters that you write Robert are how these kinds of topics should be told to others in such simplistic manner as you have beautifully written. You explain the lies with the truth and you do it very well. Trumps own wife was an immigrant - but I guess if you were a model who could put up with him then that doesn’t count. Republicans do not want to “solve” the problems with the boarder (or else they would not be trying to take money away from CBP) because they would have nothing to campaign on. That should be in the headlines about them instead of the false statements and repugnant comments that they blast on repeat. I don’t understand why some people who have come from countries south of our boarder are actually going to vote for trump. The republicans are not for law and order (obviously - unless it benefits them) nor are they for any of the other topics/people they campaign on.
About 6 months ago, I had a person point toward me (motioning to my and her lily-whiteness) and say, our families immigrated, right? Yes, I said. Then she proceeded to say that, our families were successful and made it because of hard work. I saw where she was going. So I said yes we did work hard but we would still be poor and have very little, if it weren't for government policies and programs of FDR in the 1930's who gave us Social Security, worker's rights, work programs, and other New Deals for our ancestors and LBJ policies of Medicare, Medicaid, Civil Rights, and union support. And minimum wage helped our families rise up too.. Without these government programs, our families would still be poor. She didn't know what to say. What could she say? To the whole truth she had never been told. She had her whole life been operating on only a part truth.
Let’s start saying: “I’m the grandson of immigrants; how about you?”
This ugly scapegoating can be seen in Europe too. It is terrible.
What it is leading to, might be even more terrible. When I see the Trump supporters being interviewed, I feel that rationality is totally gone. That is not promising good for the campaign: politics should be about something, about goals and means to reach them.