Richard Branson Putting Business World To Work For Refugees? An Idealistic Hope

There's a question mark up there for a good reason.

While I appreciate much of what 'Cousin Rick' has accomplished (disclaimer: not literal cousins, at least not that I know of - it's just the name association I get a kick out of) I don't always agree with every last little thing he says.

That having been said, there's no doubt the man knows business and is good at it.

CLICK HERE for a link to an article dated 12 July 2018.

As we all know, remarks were made during a recent joint press conference by Presidents Trump and Putin of the United States of America and Russia respectively. The remarks I'm referring to have to do with the refugee crisis now under way in Europe. As I understand it, preliminary efforts may already be underway to provide safety for refugees in the more stable regions of the Middle East, much closer to home for many, if not most or all, of the refugees they were talking about.

Humanitarian support for people whose homelands are unsafe for them at the moment is a privilege, and a responsibility that cannot be set aside. It does not, however, include a prerequisite that one's own homeland or people be put at risk in any way.

Branson is completely on target that Business can and should step up to the plate.

Here is where our possible scenarios might diverge a bit.

I have a hunch he is referring to Business stepping up to help plant refugees more solidly within what are supposed to be temporary places of shelter until their own homelands become secure enough for them to return.

I, on the other hand, am referring to Business stepping up to support what I'm thinking of as Sanctuary Cities in the Middle East - those oases of stability would have a ready on-the-spot workforce whose talents could be put to good use in the building of communities and businesses that would provide them the means by which to support themselves while they wait to go home. It would also provide them with skill sets they'll need when comes the time to rebuild their own homelands.

So if the United States, Russia, the Nations of Europe and of the Middle East, Canada, Australia, India, China, the Nations of Africa, Central and South America ... essentially all the Nations of Earth ... cooperate and coordinate efforts on behalf of the displaced peoples who are now homeless, the expense of providing them with sanctuary would not fall so heavily on any one nation or group of nations to care for them while they wait to go home.

Providing 'humanitarian relief' in real terms ought to include providing education and training. A 'side effect' would be the development of business enterprises that would provide employment and products. Business acumen is of vital importance to such development - and Richard Branson has that in spades!

Another 'side effect' would be to minimize (or eliminate) the impact on the homelands of Peoples whose cultures are incompatible (at least with things the way they are right now) with the culture/s of the refugees now finding refuge in said homelands - trying to force acceptance makes it uncomfortable (to understate) for all involved.

I'm visioning cities whose primary objective and reason for existence is to provide for the refugees of our world, be their status caused by natural disaster or by human-initiated crisis.

Who has the resources to put into developing thriving productive cities where the refugees of the world can be safe while learning skills and contributing to not only their own economic stability but to the economy of the world as their products are marketed?

Business.

Nations.

Of the two, guess which is generally richer ... hmmm ... ? That bugbear that bothers so many folks - well here's a great chance to redeem themselves; they can put their money where their mouths have been, eh? The kicker is that if they do it right they'll come out even further ahead, which ought to be an incentive.

Getting to build their own financial enterprises with the Nations of the World picking up a hefty hunk of the tab by providing for their workforces' food, clothing, and shelter?

What's not to like about that?

Richard Branson and other entrepreneurs turned moguls know exactly what to do and how to do it successfully.

They have millions upon millions upon millions of people ready willing and able to work.

They have (or will have) the backing of the Nations of Earth, which coincidentally will also be buying their products as they hit markets.

Designated World Sanctuary Cities under the VERY able leadership of the best of the best in our Business world, built by the cooperation of all the Nations of our world, protected by the best of the best of our world's protective services, peopled by smart, motivated populations (smart enough to want to get the heck out of their failing, dangerous nations - and motivated enough to do it) ... and independently administered by their own choice of administrators, guided by Business and World leaders (that would be an 'oversight committee' in case you're wondering).

Here's your chance, Big Business.
Here's your chance, whichever nation hosts these cities.
Here's your chance, Europe and America and other Nations of the world.
And most of all ...
Here's your chance, refugees from all over the whole wide world - here's your chance.
Take it.

I heard America promise humanitarian aid.
I heard Russia promise transportation.
I heard (read) Big Business (aka 'Cousin Rick') promise expertise, development, jobs.
So far so good.
Who will be host?
Saudi Arabia? Turkey? India? Egypt?

My vote, if I had one?
Saudi Arabia, smack dab in the center of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis could use an upswing in popularity.

Now get on with it already before Europe erupts and America has a melt-down.

There are twenty or thirty million people who need a place to go and something productive to do.

Make it happen - for them and for all of us.

Now, if this had been MY idea I would be patting myself on the back. As it is, the idea/s spring/s from the minds of the most unlikely combination I've ever heard of.

What on God's Green Earth do these three men : Trump, Putin, Branson : have in common? Trump's a Christian; Branson's an Atheist; Putin's ... well, Putin is Putin. Trump wants Independent Nations; Branson comes across as being heavily in favor of the EU; Putin wants ... well, Putin is Putin.

So what DO they have in common?
For one thing, they're all three hard-headed.
For another thing, they're all three soft-hearted.
For yet another, they're all three in favor of World Peace.
For another, they are pragmatists to the core, each and all of them.
AND, they're all three some of the brightest bulbs in the world's chandelier.

Perhaps we should all take heed. God works in mysterious ways, the Universe unfolds as it should, and Hope springs eternal ...

Letter to Standing Rock, Trump, and America

This is a post from one of my cousins, and my responding comment:

Roger Branson was at Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

8 hrs · Fort Yates, ND · 

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Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Government Organization · Fort Yates, ND

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Shiela Branson See if you can get folks to sit down and figure out how to work this thing out together, willya? Everybody's been too overwrought for too long. All those people COULD be working to get that new water system up and running. This nation doesn't need any more 'pity parties' - it needs somebody to stand up and show us how it's done. *IT* being protecting air, water, earth. Standing Rock is in a uniquely perfect position to get alternative energy sources providing its power, for example. Focusing on taking positive steps toward being able to fill in every pipeline and eliminate dependency on fossil fuels would redirect attention into something positive and good for everyone.

... And here are more of my ponderings on the topic:

If Roger's there, he may as well make himself useful.

I've left it alone for the most part first of all because I might have more faith in the Elders of our tribes than a lot of folk do. This is for them to deal with, not me and not you. My 'meddling' isn't going to do the least little bit of good; heaven knows our tribal folk have been meddled with plenty enough over the course of the past few centuries.

And no I'm not going to even try to get into a diatribe about history. We live in today, and we live in this nation together.

One thing I will say, though. There was a lot of fussin' and fightin' going on long before 'the white man' came onto the scene. Even so, the tribes WERE taking care of air, water, earth, and all of the lives that depend on having a decent place to live. Granted, there weren't as many back then but that's a whole different topic.

Me, whatever traces of native DNA might be in my blood don't really count for much so I'm stuck with only being able to say anything as a little old white gramma lady. Nobody's going to listen or pay me any mind, which is fine by me as I don't really have to be any too polite if I don't want to. This is my blog, this is America, and I can (and I will :) ) yammer to my heart's content.

Now, we can't go back and fix anything, but we might be able to learn a thing or two or three from looking back, right?

Yes, the early white folks could have and should have taken a lot more care to actually LEARN from the folk who were already here back in the day. It didn't have to go the way it did, you know. Nevertheless, it did and is water under the bridge now so can we PLEASE at least try to learn something from that mess?

We can't exactly start over, but we CAN start from where we are now.

I had to sleep on this three or four times before even opening my yap here, so it's not like I'm just blathering all of a sudden out of thin air.

WHAT IF Standing Rock really does want to (finally) want to take the lead in something positive that will actually fulfill some goals that have needed attention for a very long time? 

How are we as a nation going to address the problems posed by our energy needs while protecting our environment?

We have to use what we've got to develop what we need. That's plain common sense. We have fossil fuels; almost all of our energy HAS to come from them for a while yet. Fussing about that isn't going to do anybody any good at all, so just stop it already. 

Use all the energy you put into fussing in a different way. Redirect it into fighting to get Standing Rock energy-independent, for cryin' out loud. Set an example, and set the standard. Set the bar as high as you can make it go. Don't tell me it can't be done. Years and years ago the first wind generator I noticed just happened to be the one at the casino up in Devils Lake. You know, the one that provides the power that place needs to run.

Get your water system done on schedule, to begin with, and if it needs to be powered, by golly use the river to power it, not fossil fuel dependent equipment. That would be a good start, and send the message you want to make people listen to. Don't fret about having to use gas/diesel to get that transition made; just get it done. THEN you can stand proud and say 'We're practicing what we're preaching' ... and folks will pay attention. 

Standing Rock, Spirit Lake Nation, Three Tribes, and Turtle Mountain, along with all of the other Native Nations, can do things the rest of us can't, so get the lead out and start showing us how to do what needs to be done. Some cities are already ahead of you on the alternative energy grid thing, but they've got hurdles to leap that you don't. USE your independent nation status for pete's sake. Get your own alternative power sources on line with your own independent power grids. Focus on that and put your people to work on it. If you've already begun, how come I haven't heard about it? I've certainly heard a lot of stuff coming out of the rez lately, and would a LOT rather have had the focus on something that nobody can argue about than what it's been. Just sayin'. If you've got something going that can set a positive example, that's the noise we ought to be hearing - the fight you're winning if you've got an energy grid in place and renewables that are powering your nation. 

What I'm saying here is that the battle over one pipeline is probably technically going to go down as a loss for you. BUT the awareness it's produced is a win for you. Now you've got our attention - show us what you can do to protect and preserve what is yours to protect and preserve.

I do believe that our native folk honestly have a destiny that has long been on hold. It's maybe finally the time for them to Speak more clearly and for us to listen with open ears, to see with open eyes. That does not mean fussin' and fightin' I'll have you know. It means a clearly presented position, a well-planned and operational system in place, and a willingness to both share and receive wisdom. It is not wisdom to pick fights, by anybody.

Why am I focusing on renewables? Because it is our need for energy that seems to be a sort of common denominator in most if not all of the troubles we're trying to cope with these days. We spend a lot of time and effort bickering about everything, time and effort that would better serve us all if it were being directed at getting to the root of the problem and taking steps to solve it. 

So I'm not just talking to Standing Rock and the other tribes here. 

I'm also talking to Mr. Trump and anyone else who might be in a position to actually do something about things (as opposed to this little voice yammering here that nobody's going to listen to). What goes for the tribes goes for the nation as a whole. Give them what they need to develop what we all need. Put our folk back to work in the fossil fuels arena - with the stipulation that a LOT of those fossil fuels are going to be used to provide the energy needed to get the renewables up and running. AND that the folk who are working with fossil fuels are going to be getting training in the technology of renewables so that their employment in the energy producing field will be a smooth transition from fossil to renewable. Yes, put our miners and steelworkers back to doing what they do best, producing what we need to both keep going and to move forward, and guarantee their future employment by getting them ready for that transition.

America does need to get on with getting on. It's going to take work, and it's going to take time. 

And yes, I am of the opinion that our native folk can and will show us how it's done. Give them what they need to do the job, and let them be while they're doing what they need to do - for themselves but also ultimately for all of us. What they come up with is going to be the standard we'll have to meet so we'd better be watching and paying attention while we're leaving them alone to do what they have to do. If we fail them, they fail, and we all go down the tubes. 

Yeah, all those people who have spent months 'protesting' could have been working on that water system instead, but you know what? That too is water under the proverbial bridge. Let it go. Let it flow on down the river. And pay attention to what's hopefully going to be coming next. Not violent confrontation but a meeting of the minds whose responsibility it is to take us beyond what has been and into what can become.

Do Your Homework ... Trump Pro and Con Information

Found this on my Facebook feed - it's presented as pro-Trump but covers the bases well enough to be used as a con-Trump list as well. If you agree with these views, you're pro; if you oppose them, you're con. Simple.

Donald Trump—Who He REALLY Is by Chuck Yeager

The criticisms of Trump are amazingly missing something. They are lacking in negative stories from those who work for him or have had business dealings with him. After all the employees he’s had and all the business deals he’s made there is a void of criticism. In fact, long term employees call him a strong and merciful leader and say he is far more righteous and of high integrity than people may think.

And while it may surprise many, he’s actually humble when it comes to his generosity and kindness. A good example is a story that tells of his limo breaking down on a deserted highway outside of New York City. A middle-aged couple stopped to help him and as a thank you he paid off their mortgage, but he didn’t brag about that. Generous and good people rarely talk of charity they bestow on others. But as much as all this is interesting, the real thing that people want to know is what Donald Trump’s plan is for America. It’s funny how so many people say they don’t know what it is, or they act like Trump is hiding it. The information is readily available if people would just do a little homework. But, since most Americans won’t do their own research, here, in no particular order, is an overview of many of Trumps positions and plans:

1.) Trump believes that America should not intervene militarily in other country’s problems without being compensated for doing so. If America is going to risk the lives of our soldiers and incur the expense of going to war, then the nations we help must be willing to pay for our help. Using the Iraq War as an example, he cites the huge monetary expense to American taxpayers (over $1.5 trillion, and possibly much more depending on what sources are used to determine the cost) in addition to the cost in human life. He suggests that Iraq should have been required to give us enough of their oil to pay for the expenses we incurred. He includes in those expenses the medical costs for our military and $5 million for each family that lost a loved one in the war and $2 million for each family of soldiers who received severe injuries.

2.) Speaking of the military, Trump wants America to have a strong military again. He believes the single most important function of the federal government is national defense. He has said he wants to find the General Patton or General MacArthur that could lead our military buildup back to the strength it needs to be. While he hasn’t said it directly that I know of, Trump’s attitude about America and about winning tells me he’d most likely be quick to eliminate rules of engagement that handicap our military in battle. Clearly Trump is a “win at all costs” kind of guy, and I’m sure that would apply to our national defense and security, too.

3.) Trump wants a strong foreign policy and believes that it must include 8 core principles (which seem to support my comment in the last point):
American interests come first. Always. No apologies.
Maximum firepower and military preparedness.
Only go to war to win.
Stay loyal to your friends and suspicious of your enemies.
Keep the technological sword razor sharp.
See the unseen.
Prepare for threats before they materialize.
Respect and support our present and past warriors.

4.) Trump believes that terrorists who are captured should be treated as military combatants, not as criminals like the Obama administration treats them.

5.) Trump makes the point that China’s manipulation of their currency has given them unfair advantage in our trade dealings with them. He says we must tax their imports to offset their currency manipulation, which will cause American companies to be competitive again and drive manufacturing back to America and create jobs here. Although he sees China as the biggest offender, he believes that America should protect itself from all foreign efforts to take our jobs and manufacturing. For example, Ford is building a plant in Mexico and Trump suggests that every part or vehicle Ford makes in Mexico be taxed 35% if they want to bring it into the U. S., which would cause companies like Ford to no longer be competitive using their Mexican operations and move manufacturing back to the U. S., once again creating jobs here.

6.) Trump wants passage of NOPEC legislation (No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act – NOPEC – S.394), which would allow the government to sue OPEC for violating antitrust laws. According to Trump, that would break up the cartel. He also wants to unleash our energy companies to drill domestically (sound like Sarah Palin’s drill baby, drill?) thereby increasing domestic production creating jobs and driving domestic costs of oil and gas down while reducing dependence on foreign oil.

7.) Trump believes a secure border is critical for both security and prosperity in America. He wants to build a wall to stop illegals from entering put controls on immigration. (And he says he’ll get Mexico to pay for the wall, which many have scoffed at, but given his business successes I wouldn’t put it past him.) He also wants to enforce our immigration laws and provide no path to citizenship for illegals.

8.) Trump wants a radical change to the tax system to not only make it better for average Americans, but also to encourage businesses to stay here and foreign businesses to move here. The resulting influx of money to our nation would do wonders for our economy. He wants to make America the place to do business. He also wants to lower the death tax and the taxes on capital gains and dividends. This would put more than $1.6 trillion back into the economy and help rebuild the 1.5 million jobs we’ve lost to the current tax system. He also wants to charge companies who outsource jobs overseas a 20% tax, but for those willing to move jobs back to America they would not be taxed. And for citizens he has a tax plan that would allow Americans to keep more of what they earn and spark economic growth. He wants to change the personal income tax to:

Up to $30,000 taxed at 1%From $30,000 to $100,000 taxed at 5%From $100,000 to $1,000,000 taxed at 10%$1,000,000 and above taxed at 15%

9.) Trump wants Obamacare repealed. He says it’s a “job-killing, health care-destroying monstrosity” that “can’t be reformed, salvaged, or fixed.” He believes in allowing real competition in the health insurance marketplace to allow competition to drive prices down. He also believes in tort reform to get rid of defensive medicine and lower costs.

10.) Trump wants spending reforms in Washington, acknowledging that America spends far more than it receives in revenue. He has said he believes that if we don’t stop increasing the national debt once it hits $24 trillion it will be impossible to save this country. Even though he says we need to cut spending, he does not want to harm those on Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. He believes that the citizens have faithfully paid in to the system to have these services available and that the American government has an obligation to fulfill its end of the bargain and provide those benefits. Therefore, he wants to build the economy up so that we have the revenue to pay those costs without cutting the benefits to the recipients. He disagrees with Democrats who think raising taxes is the answer and says that when you do that you stifle the economy. On the other hand, when you lower taxes and create an environment to help businesses they will grow, hire more workers, and those new workers will be paying taxes that become more tax revenue for the government.

11.) Trump also wants reform of the welfare state saying that America needs “a safety net, not a hammock.” He believes in a welfare to work program that would help reduce the welfare roles and encourage people to get back to work. And he wants a crackdown on entitlement fraud.

12.) Trump believes climate change is a hoax.

13.) Trump opposes Common Core.

14.) Trump is pro-life, although he allows for an exception due to rape, incest, or the life of the mother.

15.) Trump is pro 2nd Amendment rights.

16.) Trump’s view on same-sex marriage is that marriage is between a man and a woman, but he also believes that this is a states’ rights issue, not a federal issue.

17.) Trump supports the death penalty.

Trump believes that there is a lack of common sense, innovative thinking in Washington (Hmmm. looks like he believes in horse sense!). He says it’s about seeing the unseen and that’s the kind of thinking we need to turn this country around. He tells a personal story to illustrate the point:

“When I opened Trump National Golf Club at Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles, I was immediately told that I would need to build a new and costly ballroom. The current ballroom was gorgeous, but it only sat 200 people and we were losing business because people needed a larger space for their events. Building a new ballroom would take years to get approval and permits (since it’s on the Pacific Ocean), and cost about $5 million. I took one look at the ballroom and saw immediately what needed to be done. The problem wasn’t the size of the room, it was the size of the chairs. They were huge, heavy, and unwieldy.

We didn’t need a bigger ballroom, we needed smaller chairs! So I had them replaced with high-end, smaller chairs. I then had our people sell the old chairs and got more money for them than the cost of the new chairs. In the end, the ballroom went from seating 200 people to seating 320 people. Our visitors got the space they desired, and I spared everyone the hassle of years of construction and $5 million of expense.

It’s amazing what you can accomplish with a little common sense.” On top of his saving years of construction and $5 million in expenses, he also was able to keep the ballroom open for business during the time it would have been under remodeling, which allowed him to continue to make money on the space instead of losing that revenue during construction time.

Donald Trump’s entire life has been made up of success and winning. He’s been accused of bankruptcies, but that’s not true. He’s never filed personal bankruptcy. He’s bought companies and legally used bankruptcy laws to restructure their debt, just as businesses do all the time. But he’s never been bankrupt personally. He’s a fighter that clearly loves America and would fight for our nation.

Earlier I quoted Trump saying, “I love America. And when you love something, you protect it passionately – fiercely, even.” We never hear that from Democrats or even from most Republicans.

Donald Trump is saying things that desperately need to be said but no other candidate has shown the fortitude to stand up and say them.

Before we criticize someone because of what the media is saying, maybe we should consider what they have to offer. What are they bringing to the table. Researching their background independently of what the news says. What’s their bio?? Wha’t Obama’s bio? If you researched him prior to becoming President, would you have hired him to work for you or run your business?