Howard Finman said it right when he wrote in his article for the Huffington Post "The Real Political Math in Wisconsin, isn't about the state budget or the collective-bargaining rights of public employees there. It is about which party controls governorships and, with them, the balance of power on the ground in the 2012 elections."
Fineman later went on to write in his article about a conversation that happened at a Washington dinner that proved his point and later mine. "We are never going to win most of these states until we can do something about those unions," one key operative said at a Washington dinner in November. "They have so much incentive to work hard politically because they are, in effect, electing their own bosses - the Democrats who are going to pay them better and give them more benefits. And the Democrats have the incentives to be generous."
When will enough be enough for politicians? How much power do they really want? And When will the American people come before re-elections? These are the questions I am posing today.
According to Gov. Haley Babour (R-MS) "Half the states in the country do not allow collective bargaining." He went on to say on Meet The Press, "People act like this is some right. Like there is some collective bargaining rights. There is no collective bargaining rights under the Constitution." He does not stand alone in his way of thinking.
Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN), my home state, nearly eliminated collective bargaining six years ago when he took office. He said during an interview on PBS News Hour "By far the most powerful special interest are the government unions." Governor Daniels may one minute withdraw his support to save his popularity, and the next continue to keep pressure on unions in Washington while attending the National Governors Meeting, but he isn't fooling anyone. You might believe "the best was treated no different from the worst" when people were losing their jobs and/or benefits. Maybe that's because you were sitting in your nice warm mansion with your class of expensive champagne.
Lets look at the facts. According to in.gov.org in 2009 the National average yearly salary for jobs (OES) for Education, Training, and Library Occupations was only 49,530. Post Secondary Teachers could make anywhere on average from 70-80,000 a year. While Kindergarten and Middle School Teachers made around 50-53,000. That's average. Under all other teachers the income was more believable, since I have many friends who are teachers. That figure was 41,110. Now of course if you are a lawyer or judge this figure goes up. And so does the life time benefits for the Judges. There are no life time benefits for most public employees.
Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) also wants to eliminate collective bargaining. Not only that, raise health care premiums to 12.6% and pension benefits by 5.8%. Even though this past week the Unions agreed to his terms Governor Walker decided that wasn't good enough. "Actions speak louder than words," he stated on Meet The Press. He went on to say "Their actions in the last two weeks show that." When asked by moderator David Gregory about his inconsistencies and if the governor thought firemen and/or police were more important than teachers the governor responded. "This is not a value judgment about employees, but ultimately about preserving public safety. Two weeks ago teachers walked off the job for three days and it was an inconvenience for parents. A disturbance like that I can't afford....It ultimately comes down to public safety." He says he is willing to share in the sacrifice but at the same time he doesn't deny wanting to change the course of history. As he stated he has given us the problem, the solution, and how he acted on it.
When asked about how he had acted on it, he admitted to discussing planting trouble makers in the crowd but the governor said, "we rejected that...we look at everything that is out there. We are not going to allow anyone outside to come in and disrupt this debate. They can come in and inform it, but we are not going to let them disrupt the debate and take the focus off the real issue here. The real issue here is that 14 state Senators need to come home so we can wrap up the debate." Really? Wrap up the debate Governors? I think you do not want to debate at all. I think you want what you want, when you want it. And you want it now.
Richard Trumka had a good point when he said, "No person should have to face the loss of their job or the loss of their rights."His colleague Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) also echoed his sentiment when he stated, "When the Governor says come back home he's not saying lets negotiate, he is saying let me do what I want to do with the unions." Bravo! I say bravo!
Frankly, I think the voters need to take a stand once and for all in 2012! This is still America. We as Americans need to stop for a minute and look past all the campaign promises, the long speeches, and the money that is being spent. If we took even half the money being spent on campaign contributions and promises we could probably either put a million people to work or create jobs to do so. We could use the other half to help balance the budget.
ights away from the people is not a way to get popular nor voted back into office. It is our right to speak out against things we don't agree with. I do believe it is our First Amendment Right. Our constitution may not spell out every little right we may or may not have. However, this does not give any Governor or elected official the right to dictate what our collective bargaining rights should or should not be. Just think for a moment. Now it is the unions. Next it will be the collective bargaining rights of the stores we shop in or what we wear. This is not a dictatorship no matter how much money you put behind it.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Bad Behavior of the Entitled Elite Should Be No More
Woods, Gibson, Edwards, Ensign, Craig, Lohan, Palin, and now Sheen. They are in a group like so many others. Addiction. Addiction comes in many forms: Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, or Money. The thing is, they just believe they are to clever and to powerful. They believe they can beat it or anyone. There are the Elitist. We live with them everyday no matter what your station in life is. Look around you. It is in the newspapers, on your TV, even on the web. We are talking about it now. There are many types of people out there that think they are better than everyone else. What causes this you ask? Addiction.
I hate to say I told you so, but I said over a year ago that people should boycott "Two and a Half Men." The man is out of his mind and needed help. Chuck Lorre, I don't know what you were thinking or doing with aiding your number one star who you paid almost $2 million a week to. Really? Come on!
This does not in anyway excuse Sheen from ranting during interviews calling out Lorre. Seriously? Come on Charlie, are we two? Look around you. Your cast mates are fed up, your hanging out with prostitutes, porn stars, and models with your ex-wife, and worst of all your not even given one thought about your kids. This is the public perception of you. Face reality.
You said to Chuck Lorre, "you mistook this rock star for your own exit strategy." Let me tell you one thing. Men like Chuck Lorre may need to be more empathetic. However, he made you buddy and paid your bills. If it were not you, it would have been someone else. That is the way the world works. That is reality.
We are giving these individuals a pass. Look at former Senator John Edwards. One minute he is in the running for President, the next is, he is not only lying about having an affair, but now he is under investigation by the Federal Grand Jury to see if he has broken any Campaign Finance Laws. On top of that we find out the truth...Not only has he had an affair, made a sex tape, lied to the American public, he has also fathered a child who he refused to claim. All the while his poor sick wife lay dying of cancer.
Mel Gibson. He once said, "Hollywood is a factory. You have to realize that you are working in a factory and you're part of the mechanism. If you breakdown, you'll be replaced. Once one of our greatest leading men, now he to has fallen from greatness.
2006 on a beach road in Malibu, California Mel Gibson went to far. His addiction finally got the better of him and the downward spiral began, he called life. Gibson was stopped and arrested for drunk driving. During this taped arrest he spewed the most implorable racist, and anti-Semitic rants. Of course, by the next day we all knew about it. Almost instantly it ended his career. But Gibson still felt his money, his time in the business should have meant something. He should be able to say whatever he wanted and didn't care who was listening. He could heal himself. At the church he built on his estate. Now he too is facing even more trouble with the law, civil suits, and baby momma drama. Why? Addiction. Where are all the people who made millions on him?
Then we have Lindsay Lohan. She made 1 good movie, "Mean Girls?" She is a idol for our kids? Really, she is a beautiful girl, who has great potential, but enough is enough already. I can't even keep track of all her antics and crimes. I too wonder, were people trying to make money off of her, or did they really even care about her well being.
If I had Lindsay in a corner I would have to tell her, its time to start growing up. I digress. I would have to probably start telling that to all of the Elitist world. Palin gets to leave office before her term was up after promising a state she would do her job and stay the course. Greed got in her way.
Greed is a funny thing. It is as addicting as any drug, sport, or hobby their is. Greed is the root cause of addiction. You always want what you cant have. You want it now. You will do anything to get it and more of it. Greed plus drive leads you down a path of success. Success leads to making money. The questions you have to ask yourself is, can you handle it?
It is obvious that the stars and politicians mentioned above clearly can't. They desperately need help. They have just shown us they are like many other Americans. Addiction knows no color, boundaries, or lines. And we as Americans put up with it!
If we act ignorant on our jobs we get warned or better yet fired. If we do drugs or cheat on our taxes we go to jail. We are the American public. We should start saying enough is enough. No more. When 217 member of Congress in 1999 "escaped tickets and or arrest from a variety of driving offenses ranging from speeding to DUI's due to Congressional immunity" (wiki.answers.com) it made me think. The bad behavior of the entitled elite should be no more. When are we going to look around us and say enough is enough?
Living vicariously thru movie stars, TV stars, politicians, is over. Crazy has become so normal we forgot that we are messing with people's lives. Yes they may become willing participants, however if bad behavior is allowed to continue, and it will... it will escalate. It will escalate to the point that the individuals who really do have the talent, the ability, and lack the addiction will be left in the dark, while the Elite continue to rule and destroy. They will rule and destroy what we all have come to know and love...our culture...our America.
I hate to say I told you so, but I said over a year ago that people should boycott "Two and a Half Men." The man is out of his mind and needed help. Chuck Lorre, I don't know what you were thinking or doing with aiding your number one star who you paid almost $2 million a week to. Really? Come on!
This does not in anyway excuse Sheen from ranting during interviews calling out Lorre. Seriously? Come on Charlie, are we two? Look around you. Your cast mates are fed up, your hanging out with prostitutes, porn stars, and models with your ex-wife, and worst of all your not even given one thought about your kids. This is the public perception of you. Face reality.
You said to Chuck Lorre, "you mistook this rock star for your own exit strategy." Let me tell you one thing. Men like Chuck Lorre may need to be more empathetic. However, he made you buddy and paid your bills. If it were not you, it would have been someone else. That is the way the world works. That is reality.
We are giving these individuals a pass. Look at former Senator John Edwards. One minute he is in the running for President, the next is, he is not only lying about having an affair, but now he is under investigation by the Federal Grand Jury to see if he has broken any Campaign Finance Laws. On top of that we find out the truth...Not only has he had an affair, made a sex tape, lied to the American public, he has also fathered a child who he refused to claim. All the while his poor sick wife lay dying of cancer.
Mel Gibson. He once said, "Hollywood is a factory. You have to realize that you are working in a factory and you're part of the mechanism. If you breakdown, you'll be replaced. Once one of our greatest leading men, now he to has fallen from greatness.
2006 on a beach road in Malibu, California Mel Gibson went to far. His addiction finally got the better of him and the downward spiral began, he called life. Gibson was stopped and arrested for drunk driving. During this taped arrest he spewed the most implorable racist, and anti-Semitic rants. Of course, by the next day we all knew about it. Almost instantly it ended his career. But Gibson still felt his money, his time in the business should have meant something. He should be able to say whatever he wanted and didn't care who was listening. He could heal himself. At the church he built on his estate. Now he too is facing even more trouble with the law, civil suits, and baby momma drama. Why? Addiction. Where are all the people who made millions on him?
Then we have Lindsay Lohan. She made 1 good movie, "Mean Girls?" She is a idol for our kids? Really, she is a beautiful girl, who has great potential, but enough is enough already. I can't even keep track of all her antics and crimes. I too wonder, were people trying to make money off of her, or did they really even care about her well being.
If I had Lindsay in a corner I would have to tell her, its time to start growing up. I digress. I would have to probably start telling that to all of the Elitist world. Palin gets to leave office before her term was up after promising a state she would do her job and stay the course. Greed got in her way.
Greed is a funny thing. It is as addicting as any drug, sport, or hobby their is. Greed is the root cause of addiction. You always want what you cant have. You want it now. You will do anything to get it and more of it. Greed plus drive leads you down a path of success. Success leads to making money. The questions you have to ask yourself is, can you handle it?
It is obvious that the stars and politicians mentioned above clearly can't. They desperately need help. They have just shown us they are like many other Americans. Addiction knows no color, boundaries, or lines. And we as Americans put up with it!
If we act ignorant on our jobs we get warned or better yet fired. If we do drugs or cheat on our taxes we go to jail. We are the American public. We should start saying enough is enough. No more. When 217 member of Congress in 1999 "escaped tickets and or arrest from a variety of driving offenses ranging from speeding to DUI's due to Congressional immunity" (wiki.answers.com) it made me think. The bad behavior of the entitled elite should be no more. When are we going to look around us and say enough is enough?
Living vicariously thru movie stars, TV stars, politicians, is over. Crazy has become so normal we forgot that we are messing with people's lives. Yes they may become willing participants, however if bad behavior is allowed to continue, and it will... it will escalate. It will escalate to the point that the individuals who really do have the talent, the ability, and lack the addiction will be left in the dark, while the Elite continue to rule and destroy. They will rule and destroy what we all have come to know and love...our culture...our America.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Oscars have gone to the Designers
I'm all for fashion and looking beautiful. Anyone who knows me would tell you I'm a sucker for a great pair of shoes and a beautiful dress, but this is getting kinda ridiculous. Isn't the Oscars supposed to be about the arts...you know the acting, directing, screenplays, the scores,etc? When did we all get so shallow we forgot what was important? The real work!
I understand that most individuals who do not work in Hollywood must live vicariously through the starlets and handsome leading men who grace our big screens every year in order to give us a couple hours of enjoyment a week. But Really? Come on. Every channel I turn on now a days is equivalent to a political campaign. It starts at the beginning of each year and is never ending. Who is wearing what. Who is dating whom. Who is putting their foot in their mouth or going to court for a infraction. Not much different than politics really.
Every day I turn on the TV or read the newspapers and hear complaining about our children and the roles they are playing in today's world. How they are becoming the "ME" generation! Lets take a good look around us for a minute and ask ourselves a question....Haven't we caused that by all the things we have put out there on TV for them to see. I am not saying Hollywood is the cause of the breakdown no just the opposite. I am saying our need to get closer into the lives of these leading lady's n men have become such an obsession and need for the public that the demand has out-weighed what should be reality. Reality for adults and reality especially for our children.
I grew up for a few years in the Hollywood scene and let me tell you it isn't as glamours as one might think. Their lives are not much different than the average person(s). Sure they have a little bit more money and can probably afford a bit more than the average American household, but when the lights and cameras are off they are just like you and me. They have the same problems, the same concerns, the same stresses. They too worry whether or not they are making their children entitled. They too worry whether or not we have gone to far.
I understand that most individuals who do not work in Hollywood must live vicariously through the starlets and handsome leading men who grace our big screens every year in order to give us a couple hours of enjoyment a week. But Really? Come on. Every channel I turn on now a days is equivalent to a political campaign. It starts at the beginning of each year and is never ending. Who is wearing what. Who is dating whom. Who is putting their foot in their mouth or going to court for a infraction. Not much different than politics really.
Every day I turn on the TV or read the newspapers and hear complaining about our children and the roles they are playing in today's world. How they are becoming the "ME" generation! Lets take a good look around us for a minute and ask ourselves a question....Haven't we caused that by all the things we have put out there on TV for them to see. I am not saying Hollywood is the cause of the breakdown no just the opposite. I am saying our need to get closer into the lives of these leading lady's n men have become such an obsession and need for the public that the demand has out-weighed what should be reality. Reality for adults and reality especially for our children.
I grew up for a few years in the Hollywood scene and let me tell you it isn't as glamours as one might think. Their lives are not much different than the average person(s). Sure they have a little bit more money and can probably afford a bit more than the average American household, but when the lights and cameras are off they are just like you and me. They have the same problems, the same concerns, the same stresses. They too worry whether or not they are making their children entitled. They too worry whether or not we have gone to far.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
My first Post
Hello all. Today is my first post and the first time I have blogged. So I thought it would be nice if I explained what you would be hearing from me.
First, we will be discussing todays political and social issues. This is a place to come to share up to date information and views on those issues. These issues could range anywhere from whats going on in Washington D.C. to whats going on in Hollywood. Your view is your view! Please just dont be disrespectful of other indivdual views. It is alright to disagree. This America after all. However I would like this to be entertaining, educational, and fun.
Hope everyone enjoys their experience here and has a great time.
First, we will be discussing todays political and social issues. This is a place to come to share up to date information and views on those issues. These issues could range anywhere from whats going on in Washington D.C. to whats going on in Hollywood. Your view is your view! Please just dont be disrespectful of other indivdual views. It is alright to disagree. This America after all. However I would like this to be entertaining, educational, and fun.
Hope everyone enjoys their experience here and has a great time.
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