Opinion: Victim shaming won’t help solve poverty in U.S.

I am both tired and ashamed that this even needs to be written, said, or posted. It is worse that some believe the old lies of meritocracy when it is so clear that most wealth in this country is inherited wealth, money passed down from older people to younger always increasing each time because the wealthy call estate tax a death tax and claim it hurts poor people. Poor people do not have such a problem as the inheritance tax is only activated when the inheritance is in the upper millions. Hugs.

Starbucks Workers United baristas and supporters rally for a fair union contract outside Starbucks East Coast distribution center on Nov. 19, 2025, in York, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Starbucks Workers United)

By John Sise | Guest columnist

PUBLISHED: November 26, 2025 at 7:30 AM EST

An editorial titled “Billionaires are not to blame for poverty” that appeared recently in The Morning Call is another example of victim shaming and proof that some academics do live in ivory towers with no knowledge of how the real world works or perhaps refuse to acknowledge the realities of the world.

The author’s premise is that people are poor because of poor individual choices. He cites the “success sequence” as a guideline to follow. For those who don’t know the success sequence, it has three basic steps. 1) Graduate from High School. 2) Get a steady job. 3) Do not have kids until you are married. He also provides two examples from his childhood of people he knew who made poor choices by not following the success sequence with one resulting in his early demise. He then uses himself as an example of what happens when you do make good choices and then succeed in life. Good for him!

However, he did not have the cultural and political systems working against him. And that, by his own admission, in his opinion piece, is the major weakness of the “success sequence.” Additionally, the analysis he mentioned done by Wang and Wilcox did not take into consideration families with disabled members, families with an elderly member, or families where all members are under the age of 25, thus biasing the sample to begin with.

Plus, the original work did not look at the success rate over time. According to Matt Bruenig of the Jacobin Magazine, the success rate dropped 17% after just 1 year. Matt Bruenig goes on to say that the “success sequence” is just being used to push the blame on individuals without acknowledging the impact of social and cultural structures and the vagaries of life such as job loss, family emergencies, divorce, etc.

But to then say billionaires like Jeff Bezos are not responsible for poverty?

It is no secret that some companies that earn billions of dollars a year in profits, benefit greatly from not having to pay many of their employees a living wage, a wage that allows them to live without relying on government subsidies for food or health care. This is not because of some poor choice on the part of the employee; our economic system is set up to maximize earnings, not to provide a living wage for every working person. Additionally, corporations, aided by willing politicians, strive to depress wages through anti-union efforts and favorable tax policies for wealthy individuals and corporations. Keep in mind that between 50% to 70% of people on these government programs have full and/or part time jobs.

The 2025 poverty levels set by the U.S. government are, for an individual, $15,650 a year: for a family of four, $32,150. Should we adopt across the country a minimum wage of $15 per hour, it would result in gross earnings of $31,200 for one individual working 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, not enough for a family of four to meet the federal poverty level.

A July 2024 analysis by Forbes Advisor listed the cost of essential expenditures, including housing costs, transportation, health care, food, and income taxes in all 50 states. The cheapest state to live in was Mississippi with a cost of living of $32,336 per year. The most expensive was Hawaii at over $55,000 a year.

The overall question one must ask oneself then is, “What is the purpose of society?”

Is society’s purpose to generate wealth so that a very few can live extravagantly and wield incredible power over those less wealthy or fortunate?

Or is the purpose of society to create and foster an environment where people can live, work and play without the fear of living off the crumbs discarded by the well-to-do?

Is the purpose of society to define winners and losers and to then treat them politically and culturally according to their perceived “status?” Or is the purpose of society to aid and assist everyone in their fulfillment as an individual and as communities living in relative peace and harmony with their neighbors?

One of the most basic and effective ways to reduce crime and poverty is to give people the means to live their lives without fear of continual economic crises. Yet, our current system is set up to do the opposite.

Jeff Bezos and most other billionaires are not singularly responsible for poverty, but they sure are not doing much to help alleviate it.

This is a contributed opinion column. John Sise is a resident of Hanover Township, Northampton County. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.

Trae’s Weekly Skews

They have TN St. Rep. Aftyn Behn on with them. Worth watching; she’s a candidate we should support however we can.

ZOHRAN SPANKS TRUMP

Platner Confronted By Woman Over His Past Reddit Comments

Well, Then. (Another Exec. Order)

This came in Notifications on my tablet, which I only use as a book reader as it’s too old for updates of any sort. Anyway, I found the headline curious, so I read it, and here it is. I linked a news story at the end, too. We’ll discuss. Good Morning! 🌞

LAUNCHING THE GENESIS MISSION

Executive Orders

November 24, 2025

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. From the founding of our Republic, scientific discovery and technological innovation have driven American progress and prosperity. Today, America is in a race for global technology dominance in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), an important frontier of scientific discovery and economic growth. To that end, my Administration has taken a number of actions to win that race, including issuing multiple Executive Orders and implementing America’s AI Action Plan, which recognizes the need to invest in AI-enabled science to accelerate scientific advancement. In this pivotal moment, the challenges we face require a historic national effort, comparable in urgency and ambition to the Manhattan Project that was instrumental to our victory in World War II and was a critical basis for the foundation of the Department of Energy (DOE) and its national laboratories.

This order launches the “Genesis Mission” as a dedicated, coordinated national effort to unleash a new age of AI‑accelerated innovation and discovery that can solve the most challenging problems of this century. The Genesis Mission will build an integrated AI platform to harness Federal scientific datasets — the world’s largest collection of such datasets, developed over decades of Federal investments — to train scientific foundation models and create AI agents to test new hypotheses, automate research workflows, and accelerate scientific breakthroughs. The Genesis Mission will bring together our Nation’s research and development resources — combining the efforts of brilliant American scientists, including those at our national laboratories, with pioneering American businesses; world-renowned universities; and existing research infrastructure, data repositories, production plants, and national security sites — to achieve dramatic acceleration in AI development and utilization. We will harness for the benefit of our Nation the revolution underway in computing, and build on decades of innovation in semiconductors and high-performance computing. The Genesis Mission will dramatically accelerate scientific discovery, strengthen national security, secure energy dominance, enhance workforce productivity, and multiply the return on taxpayer investment into research and development, thereby furthering America’s technological dominance and global strategic leadership.

Sec. 2. Establishment of the Genesis Mission. (a) There is hereby established the Genesis Mission (Mission), a national effort to accelerate the application of AI for transformative scientific discovery focused on pressing national challenges.

(b) The Secretary of Energy (Secretary) shall be responsible for implementing the Mission within DOE, consistent with the provisions of this order, including, as appropriate and authorized by law, setting priorities and ensuring that all DOE resources used for elements of the Mission are integrated into a secure, unified platform. The Secretary may designate a senior political appointee to oversee day-to-day operations of the Mission.

(c) The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) shall provide general leadership of the Mission, including coordination of participating executive departments and agencies (agencies) through the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and the issuance of guidance to ensure that the Mission is aligned with national objectives.

Sec. 3. Operation of the American Science and Security Platform. (a) The Secretary shall establish and operate the American Science and Security Platform (Platform) to serve as the infrastructure for the Mission with the purpose of providing, in an integrated manner and to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with law:

(i) high-performance computing resources, including DOE national laboratory supercomputers and secure cloud-based AI computing environments, capable of supporting large-scale model training, simulation, and inference;

(ii) AI modeling and analysis frameworks, including AI agents to explore design spaces, evaluate experimental outcomes, and automate workflows;

(iii) computational tools, including AI-enabled predictive models, simulation models, and design optimization tools;

(iv) domain-specific foundation models across the range of scientific domains covered;

(v) secure access to appropriate datasets, including proprietary, federally curated, and open scientific datasets, in addition to synthetic data generated through DOE computing resources, consistent with applicable law; applicable classification, privacy, and intellectual property protections; and Federal data-access and data-management standards; and

(vi) experimental and production tools to enable autonomous and AI-augmented experimentation and manufacturing in high-impact domains.

(b) The Secretary shall take necessary steps to ensure that the Platform is operated in a manner that meets security requirements consistent with its national security and competitiveness mission, including applicable classification, supply chain security, and Federal cybersecurity standards and best practices.

(c) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall identify Federal computing, storage, and networking resources available to support the Mission, including both DOE on-premises and cloud-based high-performance computing systems, and resources available through industry partners. The Secretary shall also identify any additional partnerships or infrastructure enhancements that could support the computational foundation for the Platform.

(d) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall:

(i) identify a set of initial data and model assets for use in the Mission, including digitization, standardization, metadata, and provenance tracking; and

(ii) develop a plan, with appropriate risk-based cybersecurity measures, for incorporating datasets from federally funded research, other agencies, academic institutions, and approved private-sector partners, as appropriate.

(e) Within 240 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall review capabilities across the DOE national laboratories and other participating Federal research facilities for robotic laboratories and production facilities with the ability to engage in AI-directed experimentation and manufacturing, including automated and AI-augmented workflows and the related technical and operational standards needed.

(f) Within 270 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall, consistent with applicable law and subject to available appropriations, seek to demonstrate an initial operating capability of the Platform for at least one of the national science and technology challenges identified pursuant to section 4 of this order.

Sec. 4. Identification of National Science and Technology Challenges. (a) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall identify and submit to the APST a detailed list of at least 20 science and technology challenges of national importance that the Secretary assesses to have potential to be addressed through the Mission and that span priority domains consistent with National Science and Technology Memorandum 2 of September 23, 2025, including:

(i) advanced manufacturing;

(ii) biotechnology;

(iii) critical materials;

(iv) nuclear fission and fusion energy;

(v) quantum information science; and

(vi) semiconductors and microelectronics.

(b) Within 30 days of submission of the list described in subsection (a) of this section, the APST shall review the proposed list and, working with participating agency members of the NSTC, coordinate the development of an expanded list that can serve as the initial set of national science and technology challenges to be addressed by the Mission, including additional challenges proposed by participating agencies through the NSTC, subject to available appropriations.

(c) Following development of the expanded list described in subsection (b) of this section, agencies participating in the Mission shall use the Platform to advance research and development aligned with the national science and technology challenges identified in the expanded list, consistent with applicable law and their respective missions, and subject to available appropriations.

(d) On an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall review and update the list of challenges in consultation with the APST and the NSTC to reflect progress achieved, emerging national needs, and alignment with my Administration’s research and development priorities.

Sec. 5. Interagency Coordination and External Engagement. (a) The APST, through the NSTC, and with support from the Federal Chief Data Officer Council and the Chief AI Officer Council, shall convene relevant and interested agencies to:

(i) assist participating agencies in aligning, to the extent permitted by law, their AI-related programs, datasets, and research and development activities with the objectives of the Mission in their respective areas of expertise, while avoiding duplication of effort across the Federal Government and promoting interoperability;

(ii) identify data sources that may support the Mission’s aim;

(iii) develop a process and resourcing plan in coordination with participating agencies for integrating appropriate and available agency data and infrastructure into the Mission, to the extent permitted by law and subject to available appropriations, including methods under which all agencies contributing to the Mission are encouraged to implement appropriate risk-based security measures that reflect cybersecurity best practices;

(iv) launch coordinated funding opportunities or prize competitions across participating agencies, to the extent permitted by law and subject to available appropriations, to incentivize private-sector participation in AI-driven scientific research aligned with Mission objectives; and

(v) establish mechanisms to coordinate research and development funding opportunities and experimental resources across participating agencies, ensuring agencies can participate effectively in the Mission.

(b) The APST shall coordinate with relevant agencies in establishing, consistent with existing authorizing statutes and subject to available appropriations, competitive programs for research fellowships, internships, and apprenticeships focused on the application of AI to scientific domains identified as national challenges for the Mission, to include placement of program participants at DOE national laboratories and other participating Federal research facilities, with the purpose of providing access to the Platform and training in AI-enabled scientific discovery.

(c) The Secretary, in coordination with the APST and the Special Advisor for AI and Crypto, shall establish mechanisms for agency collaboration with external partners possessing advanced AI, data, or computing capabilities or scientific domain expertise, including through cooperative research and development agreements, user facility partnerships, or other appropriate arrangements with external entities to support and enhance the activities of the Mission, and shall ensure that such partnerships are structured to preserve the security of Federal research assets and maximize public benefit. To facilitate these collaborations, the Secretary shall:

(i) develop standardized partnership frameworks, including cooperative research and development or other appropriate agreements, and data-use and model‑sharing agreements;

(ii) establish clear policies for ownership, licensing, trade-secret protections, and commercialization of intellectual property developed under the Mission, including innovations arising from AI-directed experiments;

(iii) implement uniform and stringent data access and management processes and cybersecurity standards for non-Federal collaborators accessing datasets, models, and computing environments, including measures requiring compliance with classification, privacy, and export-control requirements, as well as other applicable laws; and

(iv) establish procedures to ensure the highest standards of vetting and authorization of users and collaborators seeking access to the resources of the Mission and associated research activities, including the Platform and associated Federal research resources.

(d) The APST, through the NSTC, shall, to the extent appropriate, identify opportunities for international scientific collaboration to support activities under the Mission.

Sec. 6. Evaluation and Reporting. (a) Within 1 year of the date of this order, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the President, through the APST and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, describing:

(i) the Platform’s operational status and capabilities;

(ii) progress toward integration across DOE national laboratories and other participating Federal research partners, including shared access to computing resources, data infrastructure, and research facilities;

(iii) the status of user engagement, including participation of student researchers and any related training;

(iv) updates on research efforts and outcomes achieved, including measurable scientific advances, publications, and prototype technologies;

(v) the scope and outcomes of public-private partnerships, including collaborative research projects and any technology transitions or commercialization activities; and

(vi) any identified needs or recommendations for authorities or interagency support to achieve the Mission’s objectives.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Energy.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

November 24, 2025.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/11/launching-the-genesis-mission/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-executive-order-genesis-mission-ai-scientific-discovery-super-computer/

A Fine Bit Of Art

Trump’s Putin Autopen by Ann Telnaes

It saves time for his ballroom, arch, and golf course renovations Read on Substack

Who really wrote that initial 28-point deal?

Some Fun

with book covers that just shouldn’t be. (Aww, it didn’t reblog; click through to enjoy the whole piece, and you will; keyboard alert!)

Cover Snark: Crabs, Gynos, & Dragons – Oh My

by Amanda · Nov 24, 2025 at 2:00 am · View all 6 comments

Welcome back to Cover Snark!

Elyse: Is this a PSA?

Tara: Or a how-to guide? Do you need hats and/or scarves to transport the crabs after you catch them?

Sarah: Gloves, too.

Tara: Oh yeah, the tiny ones can go in the fingers.

Claudia: Hmm my mind went to pubic crabs, I’m so sorry…

Sarah: Oh, me, too. I figured that was why their hair was covered.

(snip-go read this, it’s hilarious!)

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/202hi5/11/cover-snark-crabs-gynos-dragons-oh-my/

Letters to the Editor: A little bit of socialism isn’t so bad

Letters to the Editor: A little bit of socialism isn’t so bad

Accusations about socialism off the mark

In response to recent letters deeply concerned about the election of socialists: I don’t like excessive government ownership of the means of production or of businesses either. Though President Trump doesn’t seem to mind direct government stakes in publicly traded corporations, that seems a bit too socialist for me.

But as for other issues typically supported by American socialists: How much do you really want to oppose higher taxation of the very rich in order to redistribute wealth more appropriately? How much can we object to raising a federal minimum wage level that hasn’t changed since 2009 while the cost of living has increased far beyond it? How much can we oppose the freedom to unionize so that workers have a greater chance against large corporate employers?

People toss around the word “socialism” as if it were like anthrax. I think of it, though, as being more like salt. Though countries like Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea fell into it so heavily that it became worse than unpalatable, that’s not a reason to treat socialism as if it were categorically poisonous. You can kill a recipe with too much salt, but do you really want to do without it?

John Groff

Allentown

Don’t pay legislators who don’t pass budget

Thank goodness the state budget has been passed. The four-month delay caused chaos for many school systems, counties and nonprofits in the commonwealth. Loans had to be taken, layoffs were required and uncertainty created stress on many. This mess was caused because our elected officials didn’t do their No. 1 job, pass a budget by June 30.

That date used to be important. Now it’s treated as just a guideline. Our legislators are some of the highest paid in the country, but they don’t deserve their salary if they fail this basic responsibility. I believe that the next politician to run on the motto “No budget, no pay” would win in a landslide. As I stand on the street corner during the 2026 primary season, my sign will read just that: No budget, no pay!

Joan Howe

Bethlehem Township

Trump should have reported Epstein’s crimes

In Pennsylvania any teacher, social worker, church member, medical employee, law enforcement officer — anyone who has any contact with young people — has to register with the state. This involves fingerprinting, several hours of training, and a background investigation. Once you jump through these hoops and pass the tests, you are then a “mandated reporter.” This means that, if you suspect that a child has been abused, trafficked or neglected in any way, you are required by the Child Protective Services Law to report the situation. Not to your principal, not to the director of your social agency or hospital network, not to the head of your church or organization. You are given a phone number to call at the Department of Human Services. Failure to report abuse immediately at this number will result in your being charged with a misdemeanor or, in some cases, a felony.

That the president of the United States, even though perhaps he did not approve of Jeffrey Epstein’s behavior, did not report to anyone what Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were up to is unconscionable and amoral. He didn’t get charged. He got elected to the highest office in the country. What’s wrong with this picture? What’s wrong with this country?

JoAnn Klucsarits

Walnutport

Will everyone really be able to use White House?

Since the White House is the people’s house and it was said after construction it’s going to be magnificent and everyone is going to use it: Can I have my next birthday party there?

Beth Laury

Allentown

Trump is wrong about food prices

How can our president say food prices are way down? Did he ever buy food in a grocery store for his family? Who is telling him all these lies? I’d like to have him come here and check out food prices in our grocery stores.

I don’t think it will change his mind. But one can hope for a miracle.

Ron Snyder

North Whitehall Township

The Morning Call publishes letters from readers online and in print several times a week. Submit a letter to the editor at letters@mcall.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.

Let’s talk about Trump’s affordability pitch falling flatter than job growth….

Just One

I do want to add a content alert; there is little to nothing horrible in Annie’s post, but there is a link to testimony that could be at the least disturbing. This is such an important story, and it really is on us to make sure this stuff stays out front all the time until there is justice.