Search This Blog

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Two Important Updates

It's time for a few odds and ends.

Yesterday, I wrote that Guatemala has moved its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and that two other countries were about to follow suit.  This was a reality based reaction to the move by President Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.  It was also a slap in the face for the so called "experts" who told us that Trump's move would be a certain disaster.  The wide spread violence these 'experts" predicted did not materialize.

Today, the NY Post is reporting that another 8 countries are talking to the Israelis about moving their embassies.  That would bring the total to 11.  Most likely, there are move to follow.

It shows that the conventional and accepted wisdom about the Middle East from the Obama days is not correct.

A second story that deserves an update deals with the corporate reaction to the enactment of the tax cut legislation.  When the bill passed, AT&T announced that it was giving $1000 bonuses to 200,000 workers.  Other large corporations did the same.  The Democrats and the media were furious.  How dare these big corporations share their gains with their workers?  Aren't they aware that as corporations they are supposed to be greedy and uncaring about anything like workers or society.  One Clinton-related personage even started a call for the boycott of AT&T for this "outrage".  Of course, the boycott call quickly petered out amid huge amounts of laughter that it generated.  Nevertheless, Democrats like Nancy Pelosi still denounced the granting of these bonuses.  One has to wonder what an average American thought when he or she heard that Pelosi and the Democrats were so strongly upset by companies giving bonuses to their workers.

It's worth noting that the move with the bonuses has continued.  As of today, something in the area of 1.6 million workers will be getting bonuses that average about 1000 dollars each.  That may not be much for multi-millionaires like Pelosi, but for the average American it is very significant.  There has also been a wave of announcements about new investments in the USA since the bill passed.  Of course, the media is downplaying these announcements, but word of the bonuses has gotten out.

No comments: