If you are fighting fo $15, I'd like you to keep something in mind.
No progress can be made without some sacrifice. Yes, we live in a failing economy and a federal minimum wage of $15 an hour would provide a significant boost to our economy that reaches beyond the stock markets and into family homes. However, with it will come an increase in the nationwide cost of living as corporations and retailers increase prices to offset an increase in their overhead, which is to be expected in a thriving economy. But who will be left behind? There are millions of people who live in this country whose sole income is Social Security or a veterans disability pension, millions who receive an income that equates to less than $7 an hour. Their income has always lagged far behind cost of living increases and, for many, the large cost of living increase likely to result from a federal $15 minimum wage would be devastating. It will take many years for the Social Security Administration and the Veterans Administration to catch up to the 'booming' economy that doubling the federal minimum wage will create.
If your fight is to assure that every American makes a living wage, be aware that accomplishing a $15 federal minimum wage will not be the end of the fight. Far from it.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
The 2020's: another lost decade?
The TVA Project
Beginning with the Great Depression and continuing for 4 decades, the United States was able to accomplish big comprehensive public projects and policies that helped it become an advanced liberal democracy and industrial nation. There were the big public works projects like the TVA and programs like the Social Security Act in the 1930's, the industrial mobilization of WW2, and the Marshall Plan which saved European Capitalism in the 1940's. The 1950's saw the creation of the Federal Interstate System. And during the 1960's huge strides in social and economic justice were made with the signing of the Voting and Civil Rights Act, the creation of Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for those living under the poverty-line. These big public government actions came to an end with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Bill Clinton's embrace of Wall Street Banks
during the 1990's.
As we enter 2020 and beyond, will the U.S. continue to be captured by corporations that control our government or can people wrest control of the levers of power and return to an era when government collectively responded to the population's will; like building mass-public transportation projects, government-run M4ALL, expansion of the social safety net, etc. As we, the voting public, enter the primaries, we should ask the candidates running for public office what they see for the future: a wealth and financial tax to fund big government projects like in the past or continue to embrace another lost decade?
Monday, December 30, 2019
Ybor City Bartenders 2019
Local Photographer Creative Chris
VISIT HIM HERE
What Stogie Had For Lunch
Florida Republicans Launch Scheme To Ensure Trump Wins State In 2020
Kimi Tortuga in Ybor City
Sunday, December 29, 2019
YBOR Gentrification
Slowly but very surely, Historic Ybor City is being infected by gentrification. The Tampa Park Apartments at the southwest corner of 7th Avenue and Nuccio Parkway has opted to end their Section 8 contract with HUD and is in the process of evicting tenants who rely on government assistance (article HERE). This property is immediately north of the site where the new Rays stadium was, and still is, proposed to be built. Currently secret negotiations are still ongoing between the Rays franchise owners, St. Petersburg and the Tampa Sports Authority and the plan was originally to develop about 4 million square feet of properties surrounding the stadium and, I'm sure that is still in the fix. That 4 million square feet would include everything from 6th Ave. south to Adamo Dr. and Nuccio Pkwy. west to 22nd St., basically everything south of 7th Ave.
Just because you can't see it now, doesn't mean the RAYBOR beast isn't just over the horizon.
Just because you can't see it now, doesn't mean the RAYBOR beast isn't just over the horizon.
Ybor Paparazzi 2019
Miami Democratic Consultant Evan Ross
Comparing Bernie to KKK
Grand Wizard David Duke.
Grand Wizard David Duke.
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Politico published a piece saying establishment Democrats are scared shitless, that Sanders, a democratic socialist, might really win. HERE
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Touchy Tourists at Disney World
Sky U. White Needs Volunteers
HELP HER HERE
Friday, December 27, 2019
What Stogie Had For Lunch
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Tampa Berners 2019
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Stogie Recommends: A Cure for Wellness
Lovecraftian horror. Great visuals and performances.
An international co-production based in the United States, Germany, and Luxembourg,
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Tampa Paparazzi
Stogie Recommends: Ad Astra
If you are a fan pf the sci-fi genre as I am,
you got to watch this film.
Best since Interstellar.
Best since Interstellar.
TAMPA IS READY FOR 100% CLEAN ENERGY!
Tell Tampa City Council: Work with Mayor Jane Castor. Join St. Pete, 154 more: make Tampa a 100% Clean Energy for All city! HERE
Matt Gaetz Is Donald Trump’s Court Jester
Labels:
#FEELTHEBERN,
Florida GOP,
Matt Gaetz
Monday, December 23, 2019
Sky White on The Tampa Natives Show
Labels:
#FightFor15,
Sky White,
Tampa Natives Show
Florida Clown Greg Steube
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Happy Holidays from the Stogie!
Happy Holidays to my friends who follow the Ybor City Stogie! Together, we are helping to empower progressives and leftist community, in Tampa & beyond!
What Holidays are you going to celebrate, if any? I personally will celebrate Hanukkah — as I do so, I will commemorate the sacrifices of great leftists from history; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Bayard Rustin, Eugene Debs, Emma Goldman; as well as the iconic leftists and liberals of today; Bernie Sanders, Noam Chomsky, Elizabeth Warren, Dennis Kucinich, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Ro Khanna, Andrew Yang, and many others!
Which leftists would you like to highlight this Holiday Season? What do you think about the presidential primary election and the various local elections? Who should run, who should we support, and why?
Cheers, and have a safe, happy, healthy Holiday Season!
May the god of your choice (or scientific alternative) bless you!
— Asher
Ybor Rob: Police Officer Gets Dismissed
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Advice for Florida Senators From Republican Jeff Flake
Courageous GOP Senator Jeff Flake addressed his old Republican colleagues, saying,
"President Trump is on trial. But in a very real sense, so are you. And so is the political party to which we belong." He warns that, "the danger of an untruthful president is compounded when the coequal branch follows that president off the cliff, into the abyss of unreality and untruth... If there ever was a time to put country over party, it is now. And by putting country over party, you might just save the Grand Old Party before
it’s too late." HERE
"President Trump is on trial. But in a very real sense, so are you. And so is the political party to which we belong." He warns that, "the danger of an untruthful president is compounded when the coequal branch follows that president off the cliff, into the abyss of unreality and untruth... If there ever was a time to put country over party, it is now. And by putting country over party, you might just save the Grand Old Party before
it’s too late." HERE
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Marco Rubio,
Rick Scott
Sacred ground: Uncovering Tampa’s lost cemeteries
Hillsborough County GOP Chairman Jim Waurishuk
Blasted the impeachment vote, saying that any member of Congress who did so “is showing how deeply they revile the voters and how truly they detest America’s Constitutional order.”
---
On Trumps letter to Nancy Pelosi, he
said it was “spot on.
said it was “spot on.
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He went on to add that the greatest consequence of the pursuit of bringing down Trump “will be the complete and utter destruction of the current Democrat Party.”
Is perhaps one of the last nails in their party’s coffin.
Labels:
Florida GOP,
Jim Waurishuk MITCH,
Local Idiots
Republicans Can’t Win In 2020 Without Cheating
Friday, December 20, 2019
Chillum in Ybor
VISIT THEM HERE
Labels:
Chillum - Ybor City,
The Merchants Of Ybor
Florida GOP Pam Bondi on Display
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