Over and over again, politicians are asked where they stand on an issue.

Left or right.

Red or blue.

For or against.

Our side or the other side.

This is stupid.

The correct question is “Do you have a solution to … ?”

Or

“Can you solve … ?”

It is never an either A or B proposition.

It is what will solve/resolve the problem/issue.

And usually, it is NOT any of the options people want.

Both the democratic and republican parties are engaged in the “either/or” stupidity.

Neither one has a solution to any issue or problem.

The facts no one wants to read.

Comments and referrals to this blog would be greatly appreciated.

Billionaires and politicians gathering in Switzerland this week will come under pressure to tackle rising inequality after a study found that – on current trends – by next year, 1% of the world’s population will own more wealth than the other 99%.

Ahead of this week’s annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in the ski resort of Davos, the anti-poverty charity Oxfam said it would use its high-profile role at the gathering to demand urgent action to narrow the gap between rich and poor.

The charity’s research, published today, shows that the share of the world’s wealth owned by the best-off 1% has increased from 44% in 2009 to 48% in 2014, while the least well-off 80% currently own just 5.5%.

Oxfam added that on current trends the richest 1% would own more than 50% of the world’s wealth by 2016.

via Half global wealth held by the 1%…

Democracy vs. Inequality – Why Nations Fail – Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson.

From a New Jersey public school activist:

“I am very happy to report that the Stop Forced Public School Closures legislation sailed through the Senate Ed Committee with 4 yes votes and 1 abstention. This is no small feat. But we had a lot of grass-roots support and it worked!

Here’s a bit of the coverage.”