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Tag Archives: As I see It

Texas Two Step


Texas has a conundrum, at once there is the strong anti-abortion factor  and a strong smaller government sentiment. This smaller government potion has an effect on the anti-abortion (birth termination for cause) as the Texas government determines the rules regulation this procedure. While the State is strongly anti government and very Red, its actions deny the freedom of choice in the case of unwanted childbirth.  There appears to be no outreach to educate and support victims of rape or incest. The pressure  and regulation on the clinics providing this service only increases the possibilities of unwanted births being added to the welfare rolls they are so vocally against. Is it possible that they (the State) have misread what need to be done?

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Center


There are many descriptions of how a person is perceived or perceives themselves yet no one can definitively say where their center is. There are centrists, leftists and rightists. The issue is that everyone’s center is different! There are degrees of centrism, leftism and rightist. It is easy to fall in the recognized category that defines these views and dispositions but the true measure of one’s leanings is found only by the individual through self examination and retrospect. There are several ways to get to this conclusion, one by may standards is religion through anyone of many sects (conventional and non standard) but even religion with the availability of spiritual leaders is more of an effect than a cause. The professional pollsters tend to ask what someone’s leanings are with questions designed to tilt the answer. This is the same erroneous route taken when scientists determine averages in a persons vital signs such as weight/height ratio, average blood pressure. There always  will be subtle and broad differences from the “norms” yet  the descriptives still hang on and become attached to views that do not fit the “norm”. If you find your own center through the process of examining what you truly believe you may find your views do not necessarily fit the “norm”.

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“You cant believe everythiny you read in the papers”-Updated


There are no more midline news agencies! Once there were the hard hitting, truth telling news outlets, these were print, on air ( radio then TV).  Truth was the order of the day in every story. These outlets for the most part have become mostly biased  to the left or right and extremely radical. There appears to be no desire for the centrist road that many news outlets once strived for. Once checkout stand staples  were  the outlaws and “yellow” rags now it appears that these tactics have migrated into mainstream publications catering to the basic fears of their readers. Years ago I wrote a speech for a college class and the theme was “you can’t believe everything you read in the paper”. As I related a fictional tale of a police raid and its result, I was surprised to see the interest in the fiction. The ending line was “this is fiction invented to show:” you cant’ believe everything you read in the papers”.  This particular speech was the one that got me a passing grade in that class. Apparently I was ahead of the game all those years ago, since the current media outlets have more  information that is more dubious in nature than truth and on air personalities whose personal beliefs are in conflict with what is real but we have many believing what they espouse primarily due to its airing. It is once more a time to pay particular attention to what’s presented by news outlets and understand that what’s presented does not represent all of us.

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“Dont’ Invoke Any Thoughts For Me”


While listening to a talk show today about the Affordable care Act, I heard the same political vitriol that accompanied the passage of the act.  To be clear: the combined legislative chambers failed to fully read the act before passage, then the Dupublicans spent valuable time and taxpayers money in trashing it by attacking it with derogatory and mis information. This is still going on in spite of the success even with the poor rollout and accompanying issues. The Dupublicans and Scamocrats who are up for re-election in 2014 are all taking a hands off approach while not doing what they should have done in the first place and that is READ the act then offer input to better it. There has been more time spent on trashing it than was spent in understanding what it covers and how it would affect the recipients of the service.  I for one am really tired of the Federal legislators invoking what the American people want when they do not know and possibly don’t care. Their focus is and has been how to stay in office long enough to reap the benefits afforded by being elected. No matter how poorly the rollout of the ACA was, it is the law and the folks who have successfully enrolled for health care are happy with it. The negatives I have heard are from people who have specific issues that would have caused them problems in any healthcare option. Some have stated that their premiums have increased and that is because the policy under ACA is a better policy than some of them previously had. Consider how many college students still have coverage under their parents plan, how many people have coverage now for preexisting conditions. On the face of it this act is an improvement for many and of course not so much for others while being neutral for the balance. We the people need to invoke  “no more” votes for any elected official who has squandered “our time and money” electioneering instead of legislating.

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ACA-Still??


The ongoing problems of Affordable Care accessibility is debilitating and disruptive. The elected officials of the combined legislature (both sides) are more concerned with re-election than assisting in getting this program to work. Consider how it could have been had these 535 took the time to read and offer input when initially proposed, instead we have had 5 years of almost ruinous debate on it and creating  a panic in the public with talk of “death Camps” (this is not 1940’s Germany) and folks being denied services. This Congress is so inept that we cannot believe anything they say. It  unrealistic to think they are acting in our best interest, the truth is they have one goal and that is remaining in office. Politicians will and do say what ever they have to remain in office. This ACA was going to solve a lot of issues on health care and yes some people will be affected adversely yet the overall Act is positive for more Americans who have not been able to get healthcare. These folks were the people we all pay for so they can have healthcare now many can afford their own (with government subsidies). The mis labeling of the Affordable Healthcare Act as Obamacare is more of a political ploy to win elections, many people do not know they are one in the same. When asked many  opted  for the Affordable Care Act instead of Obamacare (could there be a racial tone to this?). Is it not odd that media reporters ( the more intelligent ones) know more about the Affordable Care Act than Congress? My primary issue is: We have an inefficient and mostly inept Congress that has polarized the country by Race, religion ethnicity and gender for so long that they believe it is OK then tie their fortunes to big money donors and radical yet vocal splinter groups with a certain charisma based on their novelty.

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In My Semi Biased Opinion


The Affordable care Act has problems! These problems started during the first 4 years of the Obama administration. The election leading up to (and after) his inauguration  was nasty, racial and politically divided. This aura remained in place even after most Americans were happy to see him win (this includes  Americans of all hues and beliefs). There will always be anti everything including  members of Congress. The shame of it is that Congress (the same people who enact our laws) had ample opportunity to get on board and do their jobs but they wasted so much time kow towing to their big contributors (not their constituency) that they had no time to read and understand what the act was  and is about. Many of them have and continue to state that the act is a “train wreck” and the”American people ” do not want it yet they have no idea what it  does and have taken no interest in fixing it. Their hands off attitude is primarily political and covertly racist. To address the political aspect: their focus now (with the Party of Tea in the wings) is to win the Whitehouse and Congress and then repeal the Affordable care act. If that happens the result will be more devastation on the backs of the people who are  (and want to be) part of the ACA. The Congress has already put more problems on the folks who are recipients of food subsidies by changing the funding for Farmers who provide assistance to these folks under “SNAP”. The pre election media storm literally divided this country into the closeted  and outright bigots, the gentrifiers and  well off who seek to keep the less fortunate more so. These few groups are not united but each has  their own axe to grind and the heads of the lower and middle classes are on the block. Bigotry itself knows only the boundaries of its perpetrator and it is self serving, many bigots have no idea why they hate! The others are more self serving in that they feel they can buy their way on the backs of others. These traits are acquired or taught and amazingly some folks even “grow” out of it. I read and view a lot of information on all of this and this post is my semi biased opinion.

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Field of Nightmares


The city council of Springfield In their inimitable fashion has denied approval of a zoning change  allowing locating the “Helping Hands” organization to a building previously occupied by Ace Sign Company. This location while located next to a retirement facility is an ideal location for this agency. The objections appear to be the same ones that has caused the neediest and homeless of Springfield to be shuffled from one location to another by a city ordinance of some sort. No one wants  the homeless (which is why they are homeless in some cases) , no one wants to see them or be near them, except the organizations like helping hands. There have been locations touted that would take the homeless out of the downtown area and away from the resources that helps support them. Most of the folks are homeless due to overcrowding in mental facilities, loss of employment and thereby housing or other overflow facilities. Some are military veterans who deserve better. It appears that the city leaders want to hide the problems instead of correcting them. The situation is that no one wants to see the issue for what it is failure by the city leaders to address a problem that has been around for years and now want it to go away quietly. Why not just buy a field and put them in it with a fence around it? It worked for Hitler!

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Whose Well Being Is It?


Recently  the  CEO of   the Springfield Urban League has been selected to the Board  of security bank, while this is quite an honor for her as CEO  of The Springfield  Urban League ,it is  less of an honor for the Head Start program administered  by the Springfield Urban League. Since 2010 the program has steadily declined due to funding cuts coupled with while the administrators seemingly prospered. After several plus years of  lack luster administration  Head Start is losing 2 to 3 locations due to administrative  errors in judgment and infighting against a duly elected Union. Through the determined and pointed  opposition to unionization many longtime employees were dismissed to the detriment of the program and its clients (which is most of the Eastside). It is certainly wonderful that that the CEO has been accorded this  honor  but what about the clients (parents and children) and employees of Head Start? This is a situation where  a prominent person whose personal and public espousals indicate that their service area  is  their prime focus but their actions  tell another story. Ask the parents and employees of Head Start if their well being is being secured by this organization.

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Shots Or Not


The firearm paranoia has reached the stage of ridiculous. A recent opinion wondered why the NRA did not address a state law against tossing cigarette butts out of car window (moving or not was not addressed in the opinion), third offense is a felony which upon conviction would negate the person from owning or buying a firearm. Looking at the reason for the law: lighted cigarettes tossed from a moving car could and has been the start of fires along the roadsides (many of the highways are bordered by fields and forests). The writer appears to be more concerned about his personal rights rather than the possible effect of an uncontrolled fire on a community. In Pennsylvania a campus wide alert was issued vis Email due to a “shot fired” report. It appears that the “shot” heard was the sound of newspapers being delivered. I have delivered papers and can fully understand how that sound could be construed as a gunshot yet jumping to confusions over noises that sound like with no investigation is a bit over the top. This is not say we should not be alert and aware, just a bit more prudent in reporting so we do not become “FOX News”. The recent passage od a concealed carry law in Illinois is big news as this is the last State that will allow it. The approved providers of training are all very busy with waiting lists before the actual law goes into effect and will no doubt have some kinks to work out. It is hoped that Illinois can finally make a law that works  rather than a  penalizing statute which costs more to implement with little of the desired effect.

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When They Get There


Why is it that so many political aspirants put out blurbs that they are going to change the way government works? Politics and government are entities that are so firmly rooted in the pockets of BIG business that change is difficult at best. This is not to say that business should not have influence but not a strangle hold. It appears that many elected Government legislators have roots in the legal profession which serves well in writing laws but not so well in governing. This legal basis allows for some expertise but not complete authoritative ability to legislate. I suggest we (voters) disregard the rhetoric in politics and look at the facts (not the media generated facts  or sound bites that seem plausible). It takes a lot of reading to determine what  information is as correct as we can find and we as voters will spend more time on social media than reading several available publications where views cover these situations with a broader and less biased approach. To have a specific sector dictate policy is disastrous, just look at the current situation where the government is all but closed down by a small number of legislators  or the legislators who are out of office for suggesting some reasonable changes in the method of background checks for firearms purchases. I am a firearms owner and I sure do not want anyone who is mentally impaired  or illegally ineligible to legally obtain firearms. We have a crisis in government and possibly due to our own reluctance to move beyond the media blitzes by factions who do not represent ALL of the American people yet purport to. This country is one of the few that allows free speech to all but the voters need to insure these free speeches are real and not made up to help several instead of many.

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