Dear friends of the “DOLLAR BILL BRIGADE” before delving into this article, I’d like to address a few matters. Recently, I celebrated my 91st birthday amidst the challenges of long COVID, a minor stroke, and increasing physical limitations. Despite these obstacles, I would like to suggest to you that the insights I share in my writings are available for you to use without citation for whatever purpose. It’s gratifying to know that critical thinking is an objective in the “dollarbillbrigade.com”. Your thoughts and observations are always welcome; drop me a line at eisner.gil@gmail.com with “BRIGADE” in the subject line. While I may not respond directly, I value your input. Now, let’s delve into the realm of candidate forums.

As the primary season wanes, we find ourselves attending candidate “meet and greets,” debates, and forums — the breeding ground for candidates’ rhetoric, the BS words they espouse until election day. Drawing from my experience with an AARP California political unit, I’ve found that a “meet the candidate” format can foster genuine, one-on-one connections. Picture a large dining area with numbered tables, each designated for a specific political office — House, Senate, Legislature, etc. Candidates rotate among these tables, engaging attendees in 8–10 minute Q&A sessions. This setup offers an authentic opportunity for intimate, direct dialogue.

Knowing the candidates is crucial; during campaigns, every candidate tells you what you want to hear. They paint doomsday scenarios, urging donations at every turn. Yet, what they often omit is their stance on critical issues — their real voting decisions. Therefore, it’s imperative to engage candidates in dialogues structured around specific policy questions, yielding clear “yes,” “no,” or no-vote responses. Here are some examples:

1. Should the national debt be increased to improve the country’s infrastructure?
2. Would you support the legalization of 11 million immigrants currently in the United States?
3. Do you approve of a public health option insurance program?
4. Do you support preserving social contract programs like Social Security and Medicare?
5. Would you vote to grant statehood to U.S. possessions?
6. Do you support updating the Judiciary Act of 1869?
7. Should education be tuition-free at publicly funded colleges and universities?
8. Would you vote to eliminate the Electoral College?
9. Are you in favor of a bipartisan immigration program?
10. Would you support establishing national standards for federal elections?
11. Would you ban vasectomies?

This approach empowers the voting public to have clarity and accountability from candidates and for the candidates to assess the priorities of their constituents. By focusing on concrete policy positions, we move beyond rhetoric, fostering decision-making. In this way, voters transcend political platitudes and demand accountability from candidates. After all, the future of our democracy hinges on honest candidates and an informed citizenry.

THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!!

Gil Eisner 4/15/2024 DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM

The following may be the last tactical opportunity Mr. Trump may have to save his candidacy for President Dictator of the United States.

It is my opinion that by Monday morning, Mr. Trump will have fired his attorneys and requested a six-month delay in the start of the New York Hush Money trial in order to re-establish his defense team and prepare for trial.

The answer, is simple. The State deputizes the fired Trump attorney defense team as “Public Defenders” and assigned them to the “Trump Hush Money” case.

Who says Trump can’t be trumped!

THIS STUFF IS STRANGER THAN FICTION!

Gil Eisner 4/14/2024 DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM

It is time to modernize the United States Constitution for the 21st century and beyond by convening the Second Constitutional Convention since 1787.

The Constitution has served this Democratic Republic well for nearly two hundred fifty years, however the world has materially changed during those years.  It would be prudent to comprehensively review and update the Constitution in the context of contemporary, known and potential future governing requirements.

Convening a Constitutional Convention by 2040 would provide a valuable opportunity to modernize the foundation document of the United States.  A comprehensive and careful review of the Constitution, led by top constitutionalists, judiciary, legal and political experts, tempered by futuristic predictions, coordinated and modified by public input and state-level coordination, would represent a sound approach for such a modernization effort. 

Some key areas that merit examination include in addition to immigration, education, voting, genetics, etc. :

• Advances in technology, such as, exploration, communication, and artificial intelligence
• Evolving social and demographic trends, including increased globalization and economic inequality
• Emerging issues related to digital rights, intellectual property, and international citizenship
• The role and structure of the judiciary in a changing world 

This important work would be accomplished by establishing a dedicated “Constitutional Campus” with a full-time staff and resident scholars, providing a review and revision process conducted in a thoughtful and systematic manner.  This would allow ample time for public discourse, state coordination and the development of a carefully considered proposal for constitutional reform. 

The United States Constitution has served the nation well, but the world has changed significantly since its ratification.  A comprehensive review and potential update by 2040 would ensure that the foundation document remains well suited to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Time and political problems are working against good governance with the current version of the governing charter, it will not be soon enough to have a Constitutional Convention by 2040.

THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!!

GIL EISNER 3/21/2024   DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM

A NOTE ABOUT THE POLITICAL JUDAS ARTICLE

Several readers have commented on the closing sentence of the “America’s Political Judas” article as being somewhat confusing.   Yes, there was a misspelled word in a puzzling closing phrase.  The intent was to paraphrase a portion of a poem from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam which I cite below:

“The Moving Finger writes, and having writ,

Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit

Shall lure it back to cancel half a line,

 Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”

History is history and like the moving finger writes on….

Sorry about the confusion, but this stuff is written by a 91-year-old.   I will try not to make mis steaks in the future!

Gil Eisner 3/13/2024 

With each passing day, the tragic losses of the ongoing Gaza-Israeli conflict continues to polarize the world. The casualties, especially among the innocent, only serve to bolster Hamas’ influence in shaping global opinion. It is disheartening to consider the brilliant opportunities never realized of countless children lost over the past 85 years due to humanity’s inhumanity.

In these times, where solutions seem elusive, ancient wisdom can offer a glimmer of hope. The Talmud wisely states, “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.” In light of this, a unique and potentially transformative opportunity presents itself. What if 5,000 Israeli families were willing to extend safe custodial care to a Gazan child under the age of four?

Imagining a scenario where Gazan parents consent to such a program, the intricacies could be navigated to ensure the well-being of innocent children affected by this conflict. Such a proposal could be a momentous chance to shift the narrative towards compassion and understanding.

In essence, could this be the hour of the children, offering a miracle in the midst of conflict? By taking steps to safeguard the youngest victims, we might find a path towards peace.  It is a challenging endeavor, but the potential positive impact is immeasurable.

THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!!

Gil Eisner  3/02/2024 DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM

Some words carry meanings far beyond the confines of dictionaries, words like democracy, freedom, liberty and others hold personal meanings that surpass their formal definitions. They symbolize the right to think, economic opportunity, assembly, choice of residency, minimum wage, privacy, free travel, to read whatever, to love whomever, to be one’s self, a free education, to worship as you please, control over your own body, to select your representation, a safe environment, clean water, retirement, affordable health care, safe from unjust confinement, and many other diverse personal privileges and desires.

In the current political landscape of the United States, there are forces that view these words and many of these personal meanings inconsistent with their governance objectives. If they gain control of governance, those forces may change or eliminate many of these esoteric concepts and the personal interpretation associated with them. It matters not whether you are a Republican, Democratic, or Independent, conservative or progressive, the loss may be immeasurable and yours personally. There is more to lose than an election. On November 5th, the course of future history will be written, with the outcome of governance and your own future in your hands.

VOTE AND CHOOSE CAREFULLY TO PROTECT THESE ESOTERIC WORDS AND THE PERSONAL CONCEPTS THEY SIGNIFY!

THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!

GIL EISNER 2/25/2024 DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM

The Plot to Kill Social Security, Medicare, and Other Social Contracts

Some six years ago I penned the following paper when I was a candidate for Congress (2018). With a few minor updates, I have revised the text to update the material to reflect the current political theater.

“ I would like to discuss what I believe to be important political issues and what is my take. In this paper, I believe that middle-class America is about to become the victim of the greatest robbery in history. It is only a matter of time until the [Republican] government will substantially change or eliminate social contract programs like Social Security, Medicare, 401K, etc.

Many of these programs we have invested in since earning our first dollar. For years, since the creation of these social contracts, it has been a wet dream of the Republican Party to eliminate these programs. There have been various proposed methods to achieve that objective, such as reducing the size of government (budget), privatization, net-zero budgeting, tax 401K contributions, and forcing the purchase of government debt, just to name a few. But, under a current scheme of “Tax Reform,” the Republicans have designed a program that will immediately require the cut of hundreds of billions of Medicare dollars under a sequestration clause of a previous budget bill. This “Tax Scheme” creates an “unanticipated” debt, a Republican government will have to change/reduce/eliminate social contract programs.
An analysis I did several years ago regarding the size of government resulted in rather obvious results. In that study, reducing government size by over 20% resulted in spending or deficit reductions in the order of magnitude of over a trillion dollars. This 20% type of reduction can only be achieved in one manner — that is, to reduce or cut one or more of three major budget lines: Defense, Social Security, and/or Medicare.
You have to ask why this objective is so important to the Republican Party. In my estimation, it is the anticipation of over 60 million Baby Boomers who will reach retirement age in the next decade, increasing the retired community to approximately 90 million. The unfunded liability of these programs will require a substantive increase in taxes and, since the taxable base will be decreased by those 60 million Boomer retirees, the burden of higher taxes will fall on the 10% of the wealthy and/or the remaining 90% of the population, or both.
When these programs were created, there was a large population base supporting those receiving the program’s benefits, much like a pyramid. What has been happening is that the pyramid has been inverted and there are fewer contributing to a larger group entitled to benefits. In addition, those receiving benefits are living longer. To amplify the problem, the Republicans desire to limit immigration, spend more on defense, engage in deporting guests and undocumented who pay into the system, and to reduce income and business taxes further to increase the deficit. Other ways to solve the problem of funding are to assure the earlier death of recipients, so they will not collect their benefits, or to increase the qualifying retirement age. Some possible measures which shorten life spans are denial of health care to those in need (unfund CHIP, Aid abandonment, cut Medicaid, eliminate SNAP, kill the EPA, permit high insurance costs and unaffordable life-saving drug costs, kill Obamacare, etc.). All of which are designed to affect the mortality tables, reducing longevity of a major portion of the population.
Everyone wants lower taxes and that became the public discussion, but the real purposes are to impact the social contract programs, pay back to businesses and contributors, and a couple of possible additional goodies. There may be a requirement that if you set up an IRA Retirement account, it must contain a percentage of U.S. sovereign debt. By doing this clever trick, you force the people to buy the debt created by the tax cut to fund the tax cuts…clever, huh?! Oh yes, just one more little possible benefit…if Social Security (SS) and/or Medicare are cut back or eliminated, the employer contribution of 6.2% for SS and 1.45% for Medicare is adjusted lower or even eliminated and that will go to the bottom profit line. Nice bonus for billionaires, owners, management and stockholders!”

LOOK UNDER THE ROCKS TO DISCOVER WHAT REALLY LIES BENEATH THE POLITICAL RHETORIC!

THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!!!

GIL EISNER DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM 2/21/2024

The Republican Party once again has demonstrated it doesn’t give a damn about the American people, history or the future. They are apparently only concerned with sucking-up to the Trump cult on the immigration issue. Recently Fareed Zakaria took on immigration and stated it is not a problem but a solution to lower U.S. birth rates, a higher and earlier death rate, income tax base expansion and immigrant entrepreneurial opportunities. 

However, for the GOP, the immigration issue is not one going to be solved because solving a problem has no political currency to the idiots in Congress, but with a crisis they have the ingredients for opportunistic political theater. Just look at today’s campaign, a weekly federal budget, impeachment, economy, stop funding our international friends so we can send the kids to World War III, and of course letting the “vermin” in through immigration. 

Those “vermin” are necessary because I don’t believe Mr. Trump, or any Member of Congress, would wait tables, wash dishes, or park cars at Mar-a-Lago.

“THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY”

Gil Eisner 1/26/24 dollarbillbrigrade.com

The United States has been undergoing a shift from its democratic principles towards an autocratic form of governance, commonly referred to as fascism. This short paper seeks to explore fascism not as a government type but as a transformative process leading to an autocracy. A process where the original government structure is retained despite significant changes in function and style.

The impetus for such governmental shifts typically arises from the aspirations of an individual or elite group, seeking absolute control, to gain enhanced power, wealth, and political influence. This desire for change occurs during periods of political and/or economic instability, fueled by events such as war, leadership challenges, economic stress, systemic racism, immigration, religious tensions, fear of change, ultranationalism, and/or a yearning for the nostalgic past. Cult-like groups often coalesce around these issues, advocating for leadership or governmental change through revolution or evolution.

While societal instability may provide fertile ground for change, a comprehensive plan, a strong organization, a charismatic leader, and substantial resources are also necessary. It is at this juncture that fascism emerges as a powerful tool for transforming governance.

The transformation from a citizen-participative model to an autocracy is characterized by incremental, situational, and variable changes that unfold in response to the evolving process. This incremental nature makes defining specific milestones difficult. However, certain events serve as indicators of this ongoing transformation.

While the specifics of each transformation differs, certain common steps can be identified.

For example:
– The influence of organizations like the John Birch Society and the Federalist Society in shaping and directing political change.
– The takeover of the Republican Party by the ultra-right.
– Control of state governments through gerrymandering.
– Restrictions on voting rights via Citizens United and voter suppression tactics.
– The realignment and takeover of the judicial system through right-wing judicial appointments.
– Donald Trump’s potential second presidency as a key leadership component.
– Erosion of personal freedoms, rights, and liberties, such as reproductive rights, access to books, and LGBTQ+ rights.
-and finally, recent statements by Donald Trump outlining his intended actions in a second term illustrate the potential for a complete fascist transformation of the United States.

It is obvious that over several past decades there have been political changes in progress that exhibit a fascistic movement. It has been accelerated by the first Trump presidency and has been stated as a priority in his second presidency. This should be a fair warning to the public. Is the United States prepared to be an autocracy? The choice will be made in the months ahead and on November 5th, 2024.

WILL IT BE DEMOCRACY OR AUTOCRACY?…YOUR VOTE WILL MATTER AND DETERMINE THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!

GIL EISNER DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM12/7/2023