Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

One of my most vivid memories in a campaign is the day the union canvassers cameto join our group in a local, Los Angeles campaign. The volunteers seemed to tower over me. They were enthusiastic. They brought speed and energy to the campaign that was inspiring.

We need to watch what happens to funding and campaign support for Democrats now that a lot of union money will be gone. The union members will still be with us and active, but unless Democrats focus on the problems of working people, the rights of working people, we will have a much tougher time in elections.

How do you think we should deal with the new reality after that Supreme Court decision?

. . . .

In the 5-to-4 decision on Wednesday, the (Supreme) court’s majority ruled that requiring nonmembers to make union payments violated their First Amendment rights, since much of what unions do could be considered political activity at odds with their beliefs.

. . . .

A newly formed political action committee called End Citizens United, named for the Supreme Court decision that opened the door to more corporate money in elections, raised about $25 million, largely from small donors, during the 2016 campaign, and is on pace to exceed that amount this election cycle. Most of its spending supports House and Senate Democratic candidates favoring campaign-finance reform.

. . . .

In 2016, the four major public-sector unions gave nearly 15 percent of the $17 million raised by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which funds state legislative races nationwide. But the group is optimistic that any loss of union revenue can be offset by what it calls the “people power” of union members and other voters.

. . . .

Activists and party operatives said union cash would be more difficult to replace in other areas. Mr. Wikler said MoveOn’s monthly donor base had quadrupled since Mr. Trump was elected, allowing it to increase support for groups working on immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights and racial-justice causes.

. . . .

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/business/economy/unions-funding-political.html?ribbon-ad-idx=2&rref=business/economy&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Economy&pgtype=article

Any ideas? Or do you think this decision won't change the Democratic Party much?

I think if Democrats respond by changing our focus a bit more toward increasing opportunity for all and changing the laws that govern the workplace as well as job training and education, we can still stay relevant to working people.

What do you think? I may or may not respond to you. I would like to see what you think.

Do the Russians have Republican e-mails?

I stole that from a comment on Twitter, but it is a possibility.

What do you think?

Is that why Republicans from safe Republican states are so willing to go to Russia?

Are they afraid of what the Russians might do to them?

I'm just asking. I have no inside knowledge.

But . . . .

What do you think?

Ocasio-Cortez speaks out.

Washington Journal Malcolm Nance Discusses Russian Interference 2016 Election

Many countries prohibit or limit the sale of real property, that is land and housing,

to non-citizens.

Do you think we should do that in the US?

I'm torn on this. Seems to me a person should live in the US and become a citizen before being able to buy a house or a building or land, especially since people from overseas come here and push the prices up so that Americans who need to live and work here cannot buy homes or condos (I'm in California), but then restricting the purchase of land is not the American tradition.

What do you think?

What are the arguments pro and con?

How does Trump's idea of a wall differ from the "Iron Curtain" that separated Eastern

and Western Europe for decades?

Trumps' wall would be an even thicker edifice.

The concept is unacceptable.

What keeps people out also keeps people in. The wall would make us less free.

No way should we have a wall between our country and any other country.

I lived not far from the Iron Curtain, and I know what its existence did to the people around it.

Message to Trump from a young woman who left North Korea as a young teenager.

Do you want Bernie supporters to vote for Democrats in November?

Do you think their votes would help put Democratic candidates over the top?

What do you think can be done to persuade them to vote for Democrats?

Would you prefer they a) not vote, or b) vote for third party candidates?

What California and Governor Brown Are Doing Right. Bloomberg

California's 4.9 percent increase in GDP last year was more than twice the gain for the U.S. and enabled the state's jobless rate to slide to 4.2 percent, the lowest on record since such data was compiled in 1976. Per capita income since 2013 grew 20.5 percent, making California the perennial No. 1. Among the biggest states sharing the Trump agenda, Texas remains an also-ran with less than a third of California's $31.8 billion in receipts from agriculture, forestry and fishing and $63 billion less than California's $289 billion in equivalent GDP as the nation's largest manufacturer, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. While the Texas unemployment rate is lower at 4.1 percent, California's is falling faster and its total workforce of 17 million is 37 percent greater and has increased 2 million during the past five years, more than any other state.

Investors also make California the best-performing state, with 462 native companies in the Russell 3000 index producing a 587 percent total return (income plus appreciation) during the past decade, 262 percent the past five years, 76 percent the past two years, and 27 percent the past year — easily surpassing the Russell 3000's total return of 371 percent, 154 percent, 59 percent, and 22 percent, respectively. In the market for state and local government debt, California also is superior, representing more than 20 percent of the No. 1 BlackRock Strategic Municipal Opportunities Fund, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-05-29/trump-vs-california-state-s-economy-vastly-outpaces-u-s

Some good advice from Charlie Munger.

There is a video at the website:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/19/charlie-munger-avoid-these-5-things-that-guarantee-a-miserable-life.html

I especially like the advice about resentment.