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Monthly Archives: October 2010

No Juan


A well-known political pundit on NPR was fired for comments he made on a televised talk show. The comment had to do with muslims dressed in native clothing on the same plane that he was on. His comment was essentially that he was concerned about  the safety of the aircraft with muslims in native dress on the plan. I understand that the NPR folks would take exception at his televised comments but his concern may be one shared by many Americans in light of the past 10 years of war and the tragedy of 911. While I certainly would not advocate  against any organization  having  a code of conduct as to  what its employees offer as information to the public. This journalist is a well known pundit who apparently was hired for his analysis of the politics and his own spin on the same.  The real tragedy is that Mr. Williams voiced an opinion held by many but unsaid. When considering the uneasiness in America and other countries about Muslims, I would be concerned to see some one in Muslin dress on a plane even though it may be an inappropriate concern.It is true that some convicted Muslims were not in Muslim garb but were attempting to affect the same destruction as if they were. The situation we have is fear and  not knowing the face of the enemy .Now there is no Juan  speaking the truth and we all know it.

Big Hitters


The National and International big box companies who have and continue to present an air of “family” atmosphere in their stores. This touted “family” sense is an face shown only to the public and the media. The real truth is that these companies have one goal and one goal only -Profit! This profit comes on the back of their workers and these workers are working under as adverse pay conditions as slaves except they can go home at the end of their shifts. These companies offer the idea of the ability to advance but these advancements are not readily available to all employees. It seems that the harder a person works the less they get, this is similar to a stock broker investing your money and gaining more from your investment than you. If the public faces of these companies were honest , their staffing would be adequate, their workers would be happy (and stay on for longer periods). It costs more to replace a worker now due to the physicals and drug testing required. The training is lost and sometimes given to other companies as employees move to “greener ” pastures. These companies have a huge investment in offshore and out of the country companies. Much of their merchandise is manufactured out side the U.S. to create more profit for the company while reducing the workforce at home. There has been a sense of U.S. citizens not willing to work for the wages offered but consider that the citizens are still spending the few dollars they have in the stores that are supporting the economy of other countries. What would happen if those jobs returned, how much more could be spent here?

Change is in The Hands of The People


I receive on a weekly (and sometimes daily) basis information on what the Congress is doing or not doing. One of the most frequently received  blurbs has to do with the current president and his so called “cronies” (Scamocrats). These suppliers of  somewhat true and often incomplete information fail to understand that whoever the Titular head of this country has never and will never be in complete command. The sitting Congress makes and enacts the laws regardless of who is in the Oval office. The major issue  as I see it is, the Congress has no limits to how many terms a person can serve. These long termers have many contacts that develop over a period of years and have many debts to pay for the support of those contacts. The change that was promised will not come from the Whitehouse but only from the voting public. When the voters stop being swept up in the political ads (negative or positive), look beyond their personal fears and prejuduces then change will come. This change will start with removing the sitting Congress as their current terms end and elect some one new. At this time given the track record of the public in replacing long term officials, it will be a while before voters wake up and vote in a more pragmatic way. To begin replacing old timers will at once send a strong message to both parties and make new office seekers take notice. The two major parties are no more than sheep in wolves clothing and need to be uncovered. Many of us latch on to the actions of the major players in Congress because they get the most media coverage but they are not the only problem. The “unseen” members are no less important and just as dangerous. Change is in the hands of the voters and not the politicians.

Liars and Buyers


The coverage of the election activities across the country appears more to be a television type court cases where each side tries to create reasonable doubt. As I see the hundreds of ads posters and bumper stickers there apparently are no good people running as each candidate is saying his opponent is dishonest and has done noting for their constituents. Why are all of these people seeking a high profile office that puts all of their actions on display? My opinion is these candidates area seeking power and the accoutrements associated with that power. The money accumulated during this run for office become the personal “war” chest of the candidate and finally his personal fortune. So the reason for running could also be money? The unfortunate side of this is we have liars who are seeking our approval to steal from us and they expect us to be buyers of their mostly unsubstantiated claims to fame.

AMBUSH FIRINGS


Recent months have revealed the true nature of a National Non Profits Springfield branch. The first shot was the termination of 200 plus employees and stating that this was normal practice. Normal practice was to “lay off” the employees in this program (Head Start) during the summer months. There were some employees due to the nature of their jobs were on the job year round. This “termination” was due to a change in the health care laws mandating that an employer need to pay a portion of “laid off” employees Cobra. This mandate would have cost the agency about 20,000 dollars. To get around this “All” employees were all sent “termination” letters, the reason for sending letters to all was to give the impression that this action was not directed towards one group,  before this not “all” of the employees received layoff letters. Now the that the Head Start employees have formed a Union, the agency has started a course of ambush firings. They call an employee in and terminate them with no true cause other than your program ended. These are employees who were normally “laid” off during the summer but were asked to stay on and administer a summer program , returning to their old positions at programs end. The upshot is we have a “rogue” segment of a national Non Profit that underserved their clients.

Let Someone Else Do It!


Even though not many of us will admit it, we are unwilling in many cases to be the first to step up in situations that bring us out of our comfort zone. This is evident in the work place, social gatherings and even in voting preferences. This phenomenon has brought us to the stage where voters are angered at whoever is in office even if those office holders had little or perhaps nothing to do with the  current state of things. One of the reasons our situation is this bad appears to be our complacency. The elected officials and hopefuls all are pushing their own agendas not the voters. In all of their campaign ads there is a scary recipe of 1 part truth,2 parts innuendo,  the balance is their truth (or what they would like us to believe). For years the voters have allowed the office holders and seekers to dictate our voting choices. When we don’t like the field we don’t vote at all or we just push a button as an exercise in voting.This usuallly results in the retention of a poor public servant or the placement of worse one. This behavior is “let someone else do it”. Voters have let someone else do it for too long and now need to take back their voting rights and stop being swayed by plausible sound bites, innuendo and lies offered by politicians.

The War At Home


The war at home is still going in full force. This war is the one in which seemingly rational people who aspire to elected office start name calling, issuing statements which are partially to completely about their adversaries. These aspirants and incumbents have lost ( or perhaps never had) the ability to tell the truth and be honest with their constituents. Apparently it is politically correct to deceive the voters and gain an office to serve them but only serve yourself. This war is as real as any this country is involved in and while not immediately as deadly has long-range effects that encompass generations. The body count is immeasurable as the toll spans years. This could all be ended by the diligence of the voters and remembering the warning that “all that glitters is not gold”.

Frolitics


As the mid term elections arrive, each candidate is pulling out the big guns (also called trump cards). The innuendos, “politispeak “and smears are breaking like waves on the beach.The candidates are much like boxers before there were rules, gouging, biting and kicking for the win. Telling the truth is not part of this at all, we have heard and seen more slips of the tongue (which usually have some basis in truth) retractions and clarifications than in a senate hearing. This leads me to believe or confirm my belief that politics is not about serving the people. If these office holder and seekers want to serve the people then why not tell the truth. The voters are grown ups and can handle it. It is far better to tell the truth and take any associated lumps for it than to tell a lie which usually takes another lie to cover that one. History is usually kinder than the present because more truth is available through study and opening of previously unavailable records or information. History will show  that these modern day politicians are looking more for air time than doing the jobs they were elected to do. How do you think they would fare if they had to “stump” the old fashioned way?

Stranger Than Fiction


Social Security will not be giving a COLA to Senior citizens and others receiving benefits but there will be an increase in medicare premiums. Yet Congress has  received a COLA and these are the people who control the funding for Social Security. These are  the same people who got us in to this financial hole at home and abroad. Don’t think for a moment that the people we elected to represent us are actually representing us or even coming close to being  with us.No matter who is the Commander-in-Chief  , the Congress calls the shots in government and not one of them can be trusted. This has been proven time and time again. The “truth is always that which is unbelievable”.

We Still Don’t Get It.


As another voting season arrives, the political ads increase. The voters of America (and probably other places) apparently don’t get it. We are fed misinformation on major and minor issues then we run with it as if its true. This has been a pattern in politics for years but we still fall for the same old tricks. Politics is about preying on the fears of the people by plying the air waves and print with poor to misinformation, even outright lies. These tactics allow them to side step real issues and their own failings. When the public realizes the truth, it is already too late. I challenge the voters to throw off this mantle of manipulation they have worn for so long and really read and understand the issues for yourself. It is easy to promote an agenda using fear tactics but to promote the truth is difficult because the truth has no glamour. To progress means learning something different and new (even changing your own thinking ) and without progress nothing changes. The Congress of the United States and all other political appointees have no interest in giving you the facts as this would not benefit them. We have voted them in time after time on  poor information and political rhetoric. The truth is always better than a good sounding lie!