People Values vs. Political Will

"Close to 80% believe wealthy Americans should pay higher taxes. Nearly 60% favor raising the federal minimum wage requirement to $12 an hour. Sixty-one percent, including 42% of Republicans, approve of labor unions. Sixty percent of Americans think “[i]t is the federal government’s responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare,” and 60% of registered voters favor “expanding Medicare to provide health insurance to every American.” Nearly 60% favor free early-childhood education, and 76% are “very concerned” about climate disruption. Eighty-four percent support requiring background checks for all gun buyers. Fifty-eight percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases." Chris Hedges, Truthdig.



In New Zealand:

A Wellington train conductor has been hailed as a hero for literally stopping a train in its tracks after a racist taunt between passengers turned nasty last night.

The train had left the Wellington Railway station for Upper Hutt but came to a halt after the conductor overheard a passenger racially abusing another for speaking Hindi on his cellphone.

One of the passengers on the train, who asked not to be named, said the incident unfolded at around 8pm last night.

"A young girl, about 16, was yelling at a passenger and saying 'go back to your country, don't speak that language here'," she told Checkpoint.

"She said she was getting off at the next stop, and the conductor said 'no you can get off at this one, I'm not putting up with that nonsense'" www.rnz.co.nz. Driver Stops Train Demands Racist Passenger Get Off