History Matters

Today's Happy Hour is super short (last call!), but we are discussing the unifying that guano has on Africa, Asia, and Europe - and its role in the agro-industrial complex and early globalization.

Check out "1493" by Charles C. Mann, if you are interested in more about today's topic. 

Specifically a history of anti-Chinese and anti-Filipino attacks and legislation in the United States. 

Reconstruction only lasted 12 years (1865-1877), and in this podcast we analyze why that was. Hint: freedom is not the same as liberty. Black Codes not only limited the liberties and freedoms of Black citizens, but also White citizens. But, you know, they didn't realize that so what else is new? 

Link to Mississippi Black Codes (via MIT): http://web.mit.edu/21h.102/www/Primary%20source%20collections/Reconstruction/Black%20codes.htm

The North is really no morally better than the South, and the same goes for the West. The Civil War was fought from 1861-1865, and while the North won the war, the South won the social war. They were able to maintain (federally illegal) racist legislation to its 'free' Black citizens; a legacy that has roots in the issues of today. We will also be talking about Lincoln as a politician, playing both sides of the fence, rather than as any true savior of American history. 

*yells* YOU CANNOT SAY YOU ARE FOR THE ECONOMY IF YOU DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE MARKET ECONOMY.

$15 is not even 'livable' according to MIT's livable wage calculator (https://livingwage.mit.edu/) in San Diego county, for those who have no children. This is indicative of a social problem, as well as a failure of our government. 

Important to note that the "federal" minimum wage has been $7.25 since July 2009. 

This week my dad joins me to explain what the former military personnel at the insurrection have risked with their participation. We also discuss the pandemic's toll in San Diego, and lastly the concerns over New York State Senate Bill A416. 

What started as a good day for Georgia, ended in a tragedy for America. 

Top of the class: Stacey Abrams and the Fair Fight organization.

Trump's 10-year old tweets (source): https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/09/politics/donald-trump-birther/index.html

There is no definition of the middle class, did you know that? Many people who thought they were are not, in fact, stably middle-class. That will be more and more important during the Pandemic; namely, the criminalization of people, and who we were TOLD are the 'poor and homeless'. Turns out, it may be us after all.