I speak about the purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk, and of the danger of an oligarchic class in this country.
The Mason Moment, April 26, 2022
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Author Archives: John Oliver Mason
The John Mason Talk-Walk, April 24, 2022
https://thejohnmasontalkwalk.buzzsprout.com/1937652/10492825-the-john-mason-talk-walk-april-24-2022
I speak about Workers Memorial Day as a day honoring workers killed on the job; the need for workers to organize; the fraud of the “free market”; and the need for citizens to take part in the political process.
My novel
http://johnomason.com
Hemperiffic LLC
hemperifficllc.com
thegtsf.org
I’m A Featured Reader
ON May 23, I will be among the featured poets at the Poetry and Prose program at Cavanaugh’s Headhouse, 412 South 2nd Street, in Philadelphia. I’m So honored. See you then?
My novel
http://johnomason.com
thegtsf.org
Hemperiffic LLC
hemperifficllc.com
The Mason Moment, April 19, 2022
Eliminate Student Loan Debt
On April 6,the Biden administration announced it would extend the pause on repayments of student loan debt, which was put in place during the COVID pandemic, when people lost their jobs and sources of income during the pandemic (https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-extends-student-loan-pause-through-august-31 ) the pause on repayments was supposed to end at the end of January, then it was pushed back to the end of May, now it has been pushed back to the end of August.
The pandemic has shown one of the major problems facing our economy, the distribution of the nation’s wealth going to the highest percentage of the population, the lessening of the nation’s wealth to the lowest percentiles of the population, and the narrowing of the middle class, which young people, who take student loans to apply for college, aspired to. Student grants and loans have been great at bringing working-and low-income kids to college, get an education, and with their knowledge boost the economy and society.
But, thanks to the neo-liberal, “free market” policies we’ve had since Reagan, factories have been closed, and companies have gone to poor, developing nations with low wages and weak labor laws; unions have been weakened due to the closing of such factories, and union busting is a big business; and, with such Supreme Court decision as Citizen’s United, limits on corporate donations to political campaigns have all but disappeared, causing candidates in both parties to abandon working-peoples’ interests and twist the laws to weaken protections on workers and consumers.
It has become more and more difficult for working-class kids to move up the latter in such a situation. Plus, student loan debt is a huge drag on the economy, worth over one trillion dollars. ( https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics)Â Â Â
There is a movement to call for the elimination of student loan debt. that would relieve a source of stress upon young people getting by with their lives. It would make better sense than earlier billion-dollar bailouts of banks in the mortgage crisis on 2008, and the crisis in the savings-and loan -firms in 1989, billion-dollar companies who couldn’t manage their finances- which shows the effectiveness of the glorious “free enterprise system.” Let’s get in on it, for the future of our families and our country.
My novel
http://johnomason.com
Hemperiffic LLC
hemperifficllc.com
thegtsf.org
Interview On The Podcast Discover Joyous Love.
Here is my interview with my friend Anita DeFranscesco about my novel, Soldier Of The Cross. It was on her podcast, Discover Joyous Love, on Spotify.
My novel
http://johnomason.com
Hemperiffic LLC
hemperifficllc.com
thegtsf.org
Town Hall Meeting on Stop and Go’s
There will be a town-hall meeting around the topic of stop-and-go shops and smoke shops in South Philadelphia, and the dangers they pose to the public. It will take place at the Grand Ballroom of Yesha Ministries, 2301 Snyder Avenue, in South Philadelphia, on Monday, April 18, from 6-7:00 PM. Present will e State Representative Jordan Harris and State Senator Anthony Williams, along with representatives of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
I urge the public to attend this meeting, so that elected officials get an idea about the needs of the people in the community. that’s what democracy is about.
My novel
http://johnomason.com
thegtsf.org
Hemperiffic LLC
hemperifficllc.com
The John Mason Talk-Walk, April 9, 2022
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1937652/10408533
I speak about the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court; The Union victory in the Civil War, the defeat of the Confederacy, and the history of reconstruction; the decline of the Republican Party into blatant racism; and the need to vote and involve ourselves in the political process.
My novel
http://johnomason.com
Hemperiffic LLC
hemperifficllc.com
thegtsf.org
The Mason Moment, April 4, 2022
I speak about the need to tell the real story about the Confederacy, and the need for honest dialogue about race in this country.
My novel
http://johnomason.com
thegtsf.org
Philly For Change Back At TMom!
Philly For Change, the progressive group I’ve worked with for a LONG time, will FINALLY hold an I PERSON meeting at Tattooed Mom, 530 South Street, in Philadelphia. (https://www.tattooedmomphilly.com/) At tomorrow’s meeting will be these candidates:
Malcolm Kenyatta, running for the US Senate from Pennsylvania;
Chris Rabb, State representative for the 200th District;
Tarik Khan, running for the 194th District;
and Anthony Belmon, running for the 203rd District.
These candidates will com speak to us and take our questions; I hope to see you there.
Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com
My novel
http://johnomason.com
thegtsf.org