LETTER TO THE SCHENECTADY GAZETTE, 10-30-18

The elections are getting close, and this Halloween is going to be a scarier one for our country. I and many other Americans feel scared/worried by the national political climate in our country.

I believe that President Trump's rhetoric, inflammatory, derogatory and offensive words- has made our country more divided and angry. This president inspires more violence and hatred with his words and actions. He is for more guns- he wants to arm everyone, including teachers. Does he realize that more guns aren't the solution, but will only bring more death? He wants to reinstate the death penalty as a deterrent, a defense,to gun violence. Does he look at statistics? Has the death penalty be en proven to work and deter violent crimes? I don't think so!  In fact, in a 2009 survey provided by Amnesty International USA; criminologists revealed that over 88% believe that the death penalty was NOT a deterrent to murder. The murder rate in non-Death Penalty states has remained consistently lower than the rates in States with the Death Penalty.
Trump is ruining the environment; he has pulled the US out of the Paris Accord, an international agreement with 194 countries, basically the whole world agreed to reduce global warming. He has overturned all of Pr. Obama's environmental protections, and opening up federal protected natural/pristine land for oil drilling.

But many people say, the economy has gotten better since President Trump took office this past January, and so has the stock market! But are those two factors the only things that count in America? I'd like to ask President Trump and his supporters these questions. Please hear me out.  

Is a country's greatness and success based only on economic prosperity? What about unity, tranquility and calm among its citizens? What about social and environmental justice? What about equal/fair pay? What about treating everyone with respect- especially your allies? What about condemning dictators for their crimes against humanity, instead of idolizing them? What about treating the media with respect, instead of calling it fake/evil? What about bridging economies/people, instead of building walls and spewing out insults and name calling? What about telling the truth? What about getting along with all nations of the world? What about following American ideals and values of honor, duty before self and dignity in all actions?

I am an immigrant who has been in the USA since 1974, for 44 years, and I've seen a lot of presidents; beginning with Gerald Ford, and now President Trump. I regret if some of Trump's supporters will be offended; I must say what I think, because the truth will set us free! However, I promise that I will be civil, respectful and considerate- something that has been missing in our country since this current president began to run for office.

After 44 years of living in the US, I say with certainty, that President Trump is by far the scariest/worst president I've ever seen in my life. Why? The answer is obvious. President Trump hasn't been able to address most of the questions I asked above; he hasn't fulfilled them, except for the economy one.  It is time that Americans chose politicians who are honest, don't lie, are mentally fit/competent, are skilled, charismatic, compassionate and of high moral character. I hope next Halloween won't be as scary as this one. 

WHITE HOUSE OR HUNTED HOUSE? PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AMERICA IS GETTING SCARIER BY THE DAY! More miserable, divided, hateful, unpredictable, unreliable and chaotic.

The economy has gotten better since President Trump took office this past January, and so has the stock market. But are those two factors the only things that counts in America? I'd like to ask President Trump and his supporters these questions. Please hear me out.  
Is a country's greatness and success based only on economic prosperity? What about unity, tranquillity and calm among its citizens? What about social and environmental justice? What about equal/fair pay? What about treating everyone with respect- especially your allies? What about condemning dictators for their crimes against humanity, instead of idolizing them? What about treating the media with respect, instead of calling it fake/evil?
What about bridging economies/people, instead of building walls and spewing out insults and name calling? What about telling the truth? What about being getting along with all nations of the world? What about following American ideals and values of honor, duty before self and dignity in all actions?

I am an immigrant who has been in the USA since 1974, for 44 years, and I've seen a lot of presidents; beginning with Gerald Ford, and now President Trump. I regret if I some of Trump's supporters will be offended; I must say what I think, because the truth will set us free! However, I promise that I will be civil, respectful and considerate- something that has been missing in our country since this current president began to run for office. 

After 44 years of living in the US, I say with certainty, that President Trump is by far the worst president I've ever seen in my life. Why? The answer is obvious. President Trump hasn't been able to address most of the questions I asked above; he hasn't fulfilled them, except for the economy one.  

Don't get me wrong, I've voted for the Republican Party before, but politically speaking I'm an independent- someone who votes for any candidate- of any party that I like. I do not base my vote on candidate's party, but rather on the political candidate's ability to lead; to accomplish things for our country and has charisma, intelligence and dignity/respect. In other words I chose candidates that have the ability to make others listen and look up to him/her. So, I have picked candidates based on and the candidate's life experiences and my values. 

For me a political candidate must be of sound physical, moral and mental character- a person who is honest, can think/act right, has the ability and willingness to do good for all; and not just the few at the top, the richest and/or the well connected (lobbyists and corporate CEOs/ leaders). Therefore, I always try to vote for someone who shares my values, the things I believe in; peace, prosperity, the protection of human/animal life and the environment, and social and environmental justice.


Since the day I saw him speak on TV, during the presidential campaign,- I never thought that President Trump met those standards- that is why I  didn't vote for him. And I'm happy I didn't pick him and I followed my values- because although today America is economically doing better- it is not doing well in all the other aspects- those that make a country truly great.

Let me tell you of the things that scare/worry me about our country. I believe that- because of President Trump's rhetoric, inflammatory, derogatory and offensive words- our country is more divided and angry. This president inspires more violence and hatred with his words and actions. He is for more guns- he wants to arm everyone, including teachers. Does he realize that more guns aren't the solution, but will only bring more death? He wants to reinstate the death penalty as a deterrent, defense, to gun violence. Does he look at statistics? Is the death penalty be proved to work and deter violent crimes? I don't think so!  In fact, in a 2009 survey provided by Amnesty International USA; criminologists revealed that over 88% believed the death penalty was NOT a deterrent to murder. The murder rate in non-Death Penalty states has remained consistently lower than the rate in States with the Death Penalty.
(Source: The Death Penalty and deterrence- Amnesty International USA

https://www.amnestyusa.org/.../death-penalty/death-penalty.../the-death-penalty-and-dete...

He is ruining the environment; he has pulled the US out of the Paris Accord, an international agreement with 194 country, basically the whole world agreed to reduce global warming. He has overturned all of Pr. Obama's environmental protections, and opening up federal protected natural/pristine land for oil drilling. 

President Trump has also broken many negative records. let me give you a few.  His administration has had the most convictions by any other US president, and he personally has said over 4000 lies. He has increased the military budget to astronomical levels 756 billion dollars- the biggest war budget in the world! Has given the biggest tax cut to the richest people and corporations, and wants to cut entitlements; Medicare and Social Security benefits. And this is a lie because social security benefits/funds do not belong to the government, but to the workers who contributed into it! The government's only role is to manage it, not take it away! How can the middle class and the poor have a decent retirement without it? Trump doesn't care! That's why! republicans say that they protect life, the unborn, but have they passed a pro-life legislation and reversed Roe vs-Wade? No. They do not care for human life, because if they did, they would have enacted sensible/effective gun control legislation to stop the mentally unstable and teens from owning  guns, automatic weapons and the like!

In the end, the economy has improved- we don't need anyone to tell us because it is evident- we can see it by looking around us; people are working, construction projects are booming everywhere, roads are being repaired, and employers cannot find enough help/workers to fill their demand. However, that's not enough to make America great again, as President Trump has said since he started running for president. America is more than just an economic power (and military power), but it should also be a great moral and compassionate leader- something it isn't right now with this president and the Republican Party in power. 

America must lead with good high moral/standards- it must take care of the well-being/interest of all its citizens and the world, not just the rich, the powerful and the connected, as this President and his cabinet and his party have done so far. 

So, I'm sorry to say, that this president hasn't yet fulfilled this great vision for our country. President Trump, is in fact ruining America because since he is been in office. He isn't morally and mentally fit to be President of the US. At the next elections we must be more careful and chose/elect people of sound mind and moral character. That's what a great country needs.

MISCONCEPTIONS & TRUTHS ABOUT US IMMIGRANTS 

"America is strengthened by the contributions made by immigrants. For the U.S. economy to flourish to its full potential, outdated immigration policy must be modernized. Immigrants played a leading role in building what has become the most prosperous nation in the history of the world. However, legal immigrants are many times misrepresented or their role in the U.S. economy is misunderstood. The U.S. has not passed major immigration reform legislation since the Reagan administration, and we still use standards developed in the 1960s to determine who we permit to enter the U.S. A system this outdated cannot meet the needs of our vibrant, growing 21st-century economy. Pro-growth immigration reform can raise the pace of economic growth, increase per capita GDP, and reduce the deficit."

Today we have a Republican President that is anti-immigration; Trump's solutions are walls and deportation. However, another Republican President had different ideas about immigration policy. Although President George W. Bush didn't materialize his dreams for immigrants -by enacting immigration reform- because he was unfortunately bugged down with the war on terror; 3 wars Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. But nevertheless his ideas, his dreams and appreciation for immigrants are listed in  "A Nation Built by Immigrants", an online site created by The George W. Bush Institute, which is dedicated to making Americans aware of the contributions that immigrants have made. The site has also a section titled: Debunking Immigration Myths (or misconceptions, wrong ideas) that people have about immigrants.  

 

The George W. Bush Institute recommends;

1

Keep Our Labor Force Vibrant Through Immigration

U.S. natives are not having enough children to replace our current population, and by extension, our labor force. A shrinking population and labor force will cause our economy to contract. More immigrants are needed to keep our population, labor force, and economy vibrant and growing.

2

Move to Skills-Based Immigration

Our current immigration system is overwhelmingly based on family reunification. Other developed economies, like Canada and Australia, admit immigrants primarily based on skills and education. Shifting the priority to a skills-based immigration system would allow us to get the workers we need to drive economic growth while maintaining the important family reunification component.

3

Overhaul the temporary work visa system

For many temporary worker visa categories, the current system is inadequate. The caps are too low to meet market demand. The process is too burdensome to make using the legal visa system worthwhile. And some categories, like seasonal agricultural worker visas, do not meet the needs of the employers seeking workers.

4

Find a reasonable solution for the undocumented

Nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants and their families live and work in the U.S., contributing significantly to our economy. Deporting all of them is impractical, expensive, and inhumane. A reasonable solution allowing law-abiding undocumented immigrants to live and work here legally is imperative in any serious immigration reform.

5

More legal opportunities create a more secure border

The U.S. has open jobs. Immigrants come here to fill those jobs. More legal opportunities to immigrate reduces the incentive to cross unlawfully or overstay a visa. With fewer unauthorized entries to pursue, our immigration enforcement resources can focus on the real criminals.

Here are Immigration Myths and Facts, from

The George W. Bush Institute;

1. MYTH: IMMIGRANTS ARE TAKING OVER
FACT: Immigrants actually only account for 13.5% of the total U.S. population, which is in line with historical norms

2.  MYTH: IMMIGRANTS ARE ALL MEXICAN
FACT: 30% of immigrants come from Asia, and currently more are coming from China than Mexico

 3. MYTH: IMMIGRANTS DON'T WORK
FACT: 72.5% of immigrants believe hard work is how you succeed in America and are responsible for half of the total U.S. labor force growth over the last decade.

 4. MYTH: IMMIGRANTS DON'T HELP THE ECONOMY
FACT: Immigrant-owned businesses with employees have an average of 11 employees

5.  MYTH: IMMIGRANTS TAKE AMERICAN JOBS
FACT: 7.6% of immigrants were self-employed compared to 5.6% of native-born Americans and they founded more than 40% of Fortune 500 companies.

 6. MYTH: IMMIGRANTS AREN'T EDUCATED
FACT: Recent immigrants are more likely to have college degrees than native-born Americans and are more likely to have advanced degrees.

SOURCE: The George W. Bush Institute:
: https://www.bushcenter.org/publications/resources-reports/reports/immigration.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwvNXeBRAjEiwAjqYhFrtYrsD5mH3U1FKsyOFpV5SvsaiicPTk-EwX9tGQzTM-RwMPUIL11BoCqmMQAvD_BwE

OUR FAMILIES CAN BE OUR TICKET TO PARADISE... in the meantime; 4 solutions to reach earthly tranquillity. 

I did not say it, but Jesus did- in one of his messages to Anne the lay apostle. I read it in one of the booklets (if I remember correctly it is the one with the title: Heaven Speaks to Families, or Jesus Speaks to Young Apostles, published by Direction For Our Times (www.directionforourtimes.org). 

1. We must treat our family well
I believe in this message from Jesus, and it also seems logical to me that if we are not able to love our families, then we do not deserve heaven. How can we, as Christians, believe that we deserve heaven when we treat our loved ones badly? What worth/value does it have to treat others (friends, strangers) well, just to make a good impression, and then treat our loved ones with contempt, or hate, or with indifference, hate, and perhaps with moral and physical violence? 

Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta once asked:  
"WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD?"
As usual, Mother Teresa gave a simple answer:
"GO HOME AND LOVE YOUR FAMILY."
 

2. Talk & Listen to each other

When loved ones OFFEND AND HUMILIATE us-  we have to explain to them-or to anyone, who offend/hurts us that they are wrong. This is important in order to make them stop and make changes- to build peace. But if our loved ones do not listen, then we should look for a THIRD person- a PEACEMAKER- someone who is objective and will help us resolve our family problems and HELP US MAKE peace. This is certainly another way/solution that may work; to reach civility and tranquillity in our families.

3. Pray for and trust in God
It is natural to think that what mother Teresa says is not easy. I agree it isn't, especially when our loved ones have treated us badly many times. I also think that when this happens, we also must remember Jesus promise that he made to Saint Faustian Kolwaska, also a catholic nun: say this prayer often: JESUS I TRUST IN YOU. So, it is clear to me that we must pray for both, us and our family members, and hope that they will change and become more compassionate. Although, often it will take sometime- and only God knows how long! So we act kindly and pray harder! 

4. Stay away from loved ones who want to abuse/hurt us
In the meantime- while we pray and wait for changes to happen and peace to return; we must protect ourselves, our families and our health, our mental and physical well-being, by STAYING AWAY/AVOIDING THOSE WHO want to HURT US. This is also a good solution for the offender too- so that by being away from each other- there are no further chances of escalations and/or more violence/abuse and/or making things worse. What is the sense of staying near those who want to humiliate, hurt and abuse us? It doesn't make any sense, and it doesn't help anyone. Separation is the best solution to avoid being hurt and sometimes even killed.

IMMIGRATION REFORM IDEAS FROM THE GEORGE W. BUSH INSTITUTE ARE GREAT. LETTER TO THE ALBANY TIMES UNION, 10-28-18.

This Republican President is anti-immigration, as a matter of fact, Trump's only solutions are walls and deportation. But it wasn't always like this for the Republican Party- another President had good ideas about immigration policy. That president was President George W. Bush, but unfortunately he didn't get a chance to realize his dreams for immigration reform- because he got  bugged down with three wars; in Afghanistan, in Pakistan and in Iraq.
We can read President George W. Bush ideas, thoughts and appreciation for immigrants are listed in "A Nation Built by Immigrants"- an online site created by the George W. Bush Institute, which is dedicated to making Americans aware of the contributions that immigrants have made. The site has also a section titled: Debunking Immigration Myths (or misconceptions, wrong ideas) that people have about immigrants.

I suggest that Trump's aficionados  read them because they are solutions based on good economic and moral sense. Here is five recommendations that the George W. Bush Institute makes.

1. Keep Our Labor Force Vibrant Through Immigration. U.S. natives are not having enough children to replace our current population, and by extension, our labor force. A shrinking population and labor force will cause our economy to contract. More immigrants are needed to keep our population, labor force, and economy vibrant and growing.

2. Move to Skills-Based Immigration. Our current immigration system is overwhelmingly based on family reunification. Other developed economies, like Canada and Australia, admit immigrants primarily based on skills and education. Shifting the priority to a skills-based immigration system would allow us to get the workers we need to drive economic growth while maintaining the important family reunification component.

3. Overhaul the temporary work visa system. For many temporary worker visa categories, the current system is inadequate. The caps are too low to meet market demand. The process is too burdensome to make using the legal visa system worthwhile. And some categories, like seasonal agricultural worker visas, do not meet the needs of the employers seeking workers.

4. Find a reasonable solution for the undocumented. Nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants and their families live and work in the U.S., contributing significantly to our economy. Deporting all of them is impractical, expensive, and inhumane. A reasonable solution allowing law-abiding undocumented immigrants to live and work here legally is imperative in any serious immigration reform.

5. More legal opportunities create a more secure border. The U.S. has open jobs. Immigrants come here to fill those jobs. More legal opportunities to immigrate reduces the incentive to cross unlawfully or overstay a visa. With fewer unauthorized entries to pursue, our immigration enforcement resources can focus on the real criminals.

Someone close to President Trump should show him these ideas because they're practical, humane and economically sound, and they could make our country truly great if they were applied.

Ottavio Lo Piccolo
Sch'dy NY

LETTER TO THE SCHENECTADY DAILY GAZETTE,     10-27-18 

Today we have a Republican President that is anti-immigration; Trump's solutions are walls and deportation. However, another Republican President had different ideas about immigration policy. Although President George W. Bush had a plan- it never materialized his dreams- he never enacted immigration reform because, my guess is that he was bugged down with three wars; in Afghanistan, in Pakistan and in Iraq.
We can read President George W. Bush ideas, thoughts and appreciation for immigrants are listed in "A Nation Built by Immigrants"- an online site created by the George W. Bush Institute, which is dedicated to making Americans aware of the contributions that immigrants have made. The site has also a section titled: Debunking Immigration Myths (or misconceptions, wrong ideas) that people have about immigrants.

The George W. Bush Institute makes the following 5 recommendations;

1. Keep Our Labor Force Vibrant Through Immigration
U.S. natives are not having enough children to replace our current population, and by extension, our labor force. A shrinking population and labor force will cause our economy to contract. More immigrants are needed to keep our population, labor force, and economy vibrant and growing.

2. Move to Skills-Based Immigration. Our current immigration system is overwhelmingly based on family reunification. Other developed economies, like Canada and Australia, admit immigrants primarily based on skills and education. Shifting the priority to a skills-based immigration system would allow us to get the workers we need to drive economic growth while maintaining the important family reunification component.

3. Overhaul the temporary work visa system. For many temporary worker visa categories, the current system is inadequate. The caps are too low to meet market demand. The process is too burdensome to make using the legal visa system worthwhile. And some categories, like seasonal agricultural worker visas, do not meet the needs of the employers seeking workers.

4. Find a reasonable solution for the undocumented. Nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants and their families live and work in the U.S., contributing significantly to our economy. Deporting all of them is impractical, expensive, and inhumane. A reasonable solution allowing law-abiding undocumented immigrants to live and work here legally is imperative in any serious immigration reform.

5. More legal opportunities create a more secure border. The U.S. has open jobs. Immigrants come here to fill those jobs. More legal opportunities to immigrate reduces the incentive to cross unlawfully or overstay a visa. With fewer unauthorized entries to pursue, our immigration enforcement resources can focus on the real criminals.

I wish someone would show these ideas to president Trump- it would make our country truly great if they were applied.

DEBUNKING 9/11 LIES & MYTHS.  
Italian:  
SMONTIAMO LE BUGIE E MITI DI 9/11
Was the terrorist attack of 9/11-01 a lie? A conspiracy perpetrated by the US government? As many groups claim? Not according to many exerts and groups and the book published by the US magazine Popular Mechanics: DEBUNKING 9/11 MYTHS. Why Conspiracy Theories Can't Stand up to the Facts. 


L'attacco terroristico dell'11 / 9-01 è stato una BUFALA? Una bugia? Una falsita'? Un'attacco premeditado e messo in atto  dal governo degli Stati Uniti? Come del resto sostengono molti gruppi? Non secondo molte persone, tanti gruppi, e dal libro pubblicato dalla rivista americana Popular Mechanics: DEBUNKING 9/11 MYTHS. Perché le teorie della cospirazione non possono resistere ai fatti.

The online site: DEBUNKING THE DEBUNKERS of the 9/11 Truth Movement, says: "The Phantom Planes Meme - The idea that the crashes of jetliners on 9/11 were faked has been the staple of disinformation and misinformation standing in the way of exposing the nature of the crimes of that day. We use the heading of phantom planes to describe this cluster of ideas, which are better known as "no-plane" or "no-jetliner" theories. More at: http://911review.com/errors/phantom/index.html
 Il sito online DEBUNKING I DEBUNKERS del Movimento per la verità sull'11 settembre dice: "Il meme dei fantasmi fantasma - L'idea che gli schianti dei jetliner dell'11 settembre siano stati falsificati è stata la base della disinformazione e della disinformazione che ostacolava il modo di esporre la natura dei crimini di quel giorno: usiamo il titolo di piani fantasma per descrivere questo gruppo di idee, che sono meglio conosciute come teorie "no-plane" o "no-jetliner". com / errori / fantasma / index.html

And at the bottom of they declare...

"Many people subconsciously make the mistake of only seeing the issues concerning 9/11 in black and white, as opposed to shades of gray. This is known as the black-or-white fallacy. In this case, the false dilemma is: 9/11 was either carried out by Al-Qaeda or it was "an inside job."

Just because the evidence suggests that rogue elements of US and other international intelligence agencies were involved doesn't mean bin Laden and Al-Qaeda hijackers weren't involved."


http://911debunkers.blogspot.com/2009/07/debunking-september-clues-and-no-plane.html 


E in fondo, al sito, dichiarano ...
 "Molte persone inconsciamente commettono l'errore di vedere solo i problemi riguardanti l'11/9 in bianco e nero, in contrasto con le sfumature di grigio: questo è noto come errore nero o bianco." In questo caso, il falso dilemma è: 9 / 11 è stato eseguito da Al-Qaeda o era "un lavoro interno"
Solo perché le prove suggeriscono che gli elementi disonesti degli Stati Uniti e di altre agenzie internazionali di intelligence sono stati coinvolti non significa che i dirottatori di Bin Laden e di Al-Qaeda non siano stati coinvolti ".

Debunked: The WTC 9/11 Angle Cut Column. [Not Thermite, Cut Later]

Il pilastro tagliato ad angolo- fu tagliato dopo l'attacco! Non e' stata la dinamite termite!

 https://www.metabunk.org/debunked-the-wtc-9-11-angle-cut-column-not-thermite-cut-later.t9469/

America loves conspiracy theories. I also fell into this trap. Was 9/11 an inside US government job? Or was it a real terrorist attack? Before I give a definite answer I should look at all the facts and the experts opinion- be better informed before I make a conclusion. I also have to say that it's hard for me to believe that the US government wouldn't kill over 3,000 of its citizens. to create this conspiracy. It will take a lot to convince me.

 L'America adora le teorie del complotto. Anch'io sono caduto in questa trappola. L'11 settembre è stato una missione organizzata internamente, del governo USA? O e' stato un vero attacco terroristico? Penso che prima di dare una risposta definitiva dobbiamo esaminare tutti i fatti e ascolatre l'opinione di tanti esperti - e quindi essere meglio informati prima di esprimere una conclusione. Devo aggiungere, che per me è difficile credere che il governo degli Stati Uniti abbia ordinato e organizzato l'eliminazione più di 3.000 dei suoi cittadini- per creare questa cospirazione. Ci vorra' molto per convincermi.

 

http://911debunkers.blogspot.com/2009/07/debunking-september-clues-and-no-plane.html