It is only in my latest years that I have been paying more attention to the political happenings in our country. As a younger adult, I'm ashamed to say, I was not overly involved. I voted, but not with a full grasp of how it all worked or what might be at stake. As I became more firmly dedicated to my career (community mental health services) and aged up myself I also became more keenly aware of how the actions of our government have direct effect on our day to day lives. Sometimes, those actions can, and do, leave people feeling disenfranchised. Yet, I vote.
I remember being very upset and feeling that Al Gore had been shafted when he lost his bid for president leaving us with Mr. Bush at the helm once again. And I was overjoyed when Barack Obama won and had a renewed sense of hope for this nation. And now we are faced with the next big decision. Who will be our next president? I've been watching the debates - both republican and democratic - with interest and, to be honest, awe. The Republicans seem to have created a new way to slam their conservative views into the mainstream but not really saying what it is they would do if elected but, somehow, diverting the attention to a sideshow of incredible proportion. And this is where I want to speak to America...
Dear America,
This is a big, bright, beautiful land full of wonderful people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, religions, colors, beliefs, economic standards, education levels and races. For a long time, we have managed, albeit not without our struggles, to come together from time to time and make things work. We still have far to go. But I'm afraid.
I see the person some people are heralding as the one who "speaks their mind" and "tells it like it is" as the next great candidate for President of the United States of America. His platform is one of intolerance and hate and he's using all of you to make that happen. He's even called you all, his followers "uneducated" and prides himself on being able to lead you around. And you are being lead around. He has no sound plans to lead this country anywhere or do anything to, as he says, "Make America Great Again". It's all just words. So many words said through a smirk and shrug and the clink of a another million in his pocket. He thinks less of you all than he does the elevator operator at Trump tower. And yet you follow.
He tells you he can "shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue" and you follow.
He called someone "fat" and has them removed from his rally and you follow.
He degrades women by calling them names and you follow.
He says Mexico is sending rapists and mentally ill and you follow.
He blames Mexico and China for "taking" our jobs but has businesses that make clothing and jewelry in both countries and yet you follow.
He talks about companies hiring illegals but only just settled part of a law suit where he hired illegal workers and was sued for not even paying them minimum wage and yet you follow.
He's bankrupted his own companies when they were losing money several times and yet you follow even though he cannot show how he can balance or repair a budget.
But most of all, he has said repeatedly he would seek to send away thousands of immigrants already here and find a way to "identify" Muslims while they were here in order to "fight terrorism". That, my friends, is very much what Hitler said, and did, at the very beginning of the Third Reich. And yet, even with people showing up at his rallies in full KKK regalia and carrying Confederate flags, YOU FOLLOW.
Why? Because he is the candidate the media has created. He is the sound byte they gave you. He is the political version of a reality TV show - just entertaining enough to keep the water cooler conversation lively. Nobody wants to hear someone talk about real issues when they can watch a car wreck. But the horrible truth is, America is just dumbed down enough to take that car wreck seriously.
Wake up, America! WAKE UP! If you have to vote Republican, please, for the love of all that's holy, do not vote for Donald Trump! He is the scariest thing to happen to American politics in a long, long time.
Sincerely,
Me
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Friday, February 26, 2016
Monday, August 18, 2014
Keeping my big mouth shut...
My political tendencies lean toward the liberal side, I will admit. I hate to label myself that way but, realistically, we live in a world where we feel better about ourselves if we can neatly compartmentalize each other so we know where we stand. So, to make it easy, I will fly the liberal flag. I work in a small place and in this place I work with a lot of other liberals. We get paid very little to do a lot for people most of society would rather not even think about. In the midst of all this there are two very staunch conservatives. How they find themselves here, I cannot begin to understand.
Both are young, Christian and white. Both are married. One has a new family. One just found out she is expecting. Both are active in their churches. I actually like these women very much. They are funny and smart and know their jobs well. But they are also a constant source of aggravation to me when it comes to politics. I find myself having to bite my tongue and shut my mouth.
The recent event in Ferguson, MO have been particularly upsetting for me. I have biracial family members and the unrest and horrible violence is just bad. The circumstances under which Michael Brown was shot happen all too often and the heated and hateful debate of who was right and why he was shot and who or what he was just go on ad nauseum. One of the women in the office is married to a police officer and she is very vocal about how thankless a job that is. I have no doubt about that. I have friends on the force. But I also know that not all cops use their heads in a crisis and not all cops think before they act. I have also known some cops to be incredibly racist. Most are good, decent people who want to help. Some are not.
There are no easy answers. It's not as easy as telling young black men to simply stop arguing with police because, let's be honest, police are often wrong. It's not as easy as telling us all to respect authority because blatant respect is hollow and meaningless. Respect has to be earned. Maybe the trick is to simply stop talking about race at all. Stop describing people by their color. I am a woman, not a white woman. You are a man, not a black man. We are simply human beings with light or dark skin pigment. Why should that make us so different? Why should that make us hate one another? Why should that make us kill one another?
I hope that in my lifetime mother's can stop teaching their children to fear police officers because their children's skin is dark. I pray it will...
Both are young, Christian and white. Both are married. One has a new family. One just found out she is expecting. Both are active in their churches. I actually like these women very much. They are funny and smart and know their jobs well. But they are also a constant source of aggravation to me when it comes to politics. I find myself having to bite my tongue and shut my mouth.
The recent event in Ferguson, MO have been particularly upsetting for me. I have biracial family members and the unrest and horrible violence is just bad. The circumstances under which Michael Brown was shot happen all too often and the heated and hateful debate of who was right and why he was shot and who or what he was just go on ad nauseum. One of the women in the office is married to a police officer and she is very vocal about how thankless a job that is. I have no doubt about that. I have friends on the force. But I also know that not all cops use their heads in a crisis and not all cops think before they act. I have also known some cops to be incredibly racist. Most are good, decent people who want to help. Some are not.
There are no easy answers. It's not as easy as telling young black men to simply stop arguing with police because, let's be honest, police are often wrong. It's not as easy as telling us all to respect authority because blatant respect is hollow and meaningless. Respect has to be earned. Maybe the trick is to simply stop talking about race at all. Stop describing people by their color. I am a woman, not a white woman. You are a man, not a black man. We are simply human beings with light or dark skin pigment. Why should that make us so different? Why should that make us hate one another? Why should that make us kill one another?
I hope that in my lifetime mother's can stop teaching their children to fear police officers because their children's skin is dark. I pray it will...
Friday, April 19, 2013
The question of immigration reform...
Now that the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing have been identified and one is dead, the other on the run, there are many people lighting up social media with comments and remarks demanding stricter immigration guidelines. I'm pretty sure those who simply state "They need back ground checks on all immigrants!" have no idea what the current immigration process entails. As the wife of a fairly recent LEGAL immigrant and the best friend of the wife of a former ILLEGAL immigrant, let me explain.
The United States does not make it easy to enter this country legally. That's why so many people are sneaking in, crossing borders in the dark of night, or getting student visas and then vanishing into the populace. My best friend is married to a man from Mexico. He's been here since he was a child but he was brought here under the guise of a "visit" to legal relatives and then simply never returned to Mexico when his parents did. You may ask why good parents would leave their child in an entire other country with distant relatives and the answer would be - because there is nothing for him in Mexico. Had he stayed in Mexico he would not have an education or a job. Effectively, he grew up here. When he met my friend they fell in love and got married. They had two children. It was then he realized that if he was ever deported he would never see his family again. Thus began their incredibly difficult journey through the Immigration system. Every year, he filed Income Tax forms just like all the legal citizens of the US, or at least, like the law abiding ones. Each time he did it threw a red flag up because his "Social Security" number did not actually exist. The IRS would alert his employer and he was let go. This happened three times, three years straight but it was a necessary evil because he had to show his intent was to become a law abiding, tax paying legal immigrant. They retained an attorney who advised this. Next, the US Immigration Service supplies about 10 forms that must be completed showing intent to stay, who will provide, where you will live, what you intend to do here and so on and so forth. When submitted there is a filing fee for each form. The fee is anywhere from $90 to $700 depending on which form it is. Then, you wait. There is no guarantee that while you are waiting you will not be deported. You just wait. Eventually, you get a letter stating that you have to go to a local Immigration office (depending on your case will determine which one - either Chicago or Milwaukee). At the appointment you are finger printed and photographed. They also take blood for testing. This begins the back ground check. In my friend's case, he was not only checked based on his activity while in the US but his prior activity in Mexico. Then, because he was here already and should not have been, he had to go back to Mexico to wait for an appointment at the embassy there. No one could give him a time line for how long he would wait. If there was one tiny missing piece in his paperwork he might have been made to wait years. There was a real possibility that his children would be teen agers or adults by the time he was allowed back in. Thankfully, everything was correct. He attended that meeting and was given approval to return legally but not before one more glitch. My friend had to get signed affidavits showing that she would be suffering a hardship if her husband was not allowed to return to the family. She had to have doctor's notes (Her health was bad at that time) and personal witness letters proving he was needed here. Finally, he came home and now has a "green card" to prove he is here legally. It was a long drawn out process with several back ground checks in the way.
In the case of my husband and I, it went somewhat different. Partially because he was not already here when we started the process and, I believe, partially because he was coming from a Scandinavian country and not one of the "hot button" countries like Mexico or the Middle East. We intended to get married so the first thing we did was retain an attorney to walk us through the steps to getting a "Fiance" visa. This visa allowed him to travel to the US with the full intent on marrying within 90 days of getting here. Which is what we did. Once married, we had to begin the shitstorm of Immigration paperwork to obtain a work permit and green card. This time we did it alone - no attorney. We filled out a ton of papers, got photos, affidavits from people who know us, gathered photographic evidence of our lives together, ticket stubs, stuff from vacations together, anything that showed we were indeed a married couple. That all had to be submitted, again with a hefty filing fee and then we waited. Eventually we got an appointment for the forensics - finger prints and blood work. Then we had an interview. We sat in a room of other anxious people being called in one by one to be questioned by an immigration interviewer. When it was our turn they called us together. Our file, sitting on the desk in front of the interviewer was enormous. He had every slip of paperwork we had ever filed even from before Alex came to the US. He looked stern and paged through it. He started asking us some simple questions - when is his birthday (to me), what is your address (to him) as a way to gage if we were really together. Then he saw that Alex was a musician (it was in the file) and asked him what his favorite band was. Alex told him Radiohead and the interviewer sat up and smiled and agreed and asked him what CD was their best and the two of them talked about Radiohead for about five minutes. After they were done, he stamped his approval on our file and that was that! I shudder to think what might have happened had Alex said his fave band was Motley Crue or something like that. After a while, Alex's green card arrived in the mail. But that wasn't the end of it. After two years, we had to refile what they call a "Change in Condition" form (and another $500+ filing fee). This form was to let the Immigration Service know that his intent was to stay in the US permanently. It was approved and he is now what is called a "resident permanent alien". Eventually, he may choose to become a US citizen but that will be up to him.
The point is this...it is not easy to enter the US legally. While there may be some reform that could be done, it's not that simple to just "come to the US" as some people think. The fact that the identified suspects in this bombing are here on student visa's is not a flaw in the immigration system. They are criminals, bottom line. But no back ground check is going to determine that either unless they have previously perpetrated a crime prior to entering the US. And in that case they would not be entering the US on a student visa! They may come in illegally somehow but they would not have been issued a visa. I do understand the frustration people feel when talking about immigration issues. The perception of illegals entering our country, taking jobs and getting benefits without doing it the right way is frustrating when so many citizens are without work or benefits. But I also cannot blame the individuals who try it because knowing the poverty and duress they're coming from I think I would try it to if I were them. I blame government. Even ours. So little time and money is used to find ways to assist the lower economic classes in any country - including the US. It's a telling sign that people choose to enter illegally to live in poverty here because our poverty level is still a higher standard of living than from whence they came. But it is also telling that our government turns a blind eye to the impoverished citizens of the US as well. So, why did these two bombers come here? Education? Maybe. Or maybe this was planned all along. We may never know. It's too bad that in the two years they were here they did not open their eyes to all that is truly good in the US. Because there is so much good here. I don't really understand the deep hatred that manifests itself in some cultures for the US. I think I can see why it might but if they really looked at the people here, the good people, they would have seen that we are bigger than our government, bigger than the politics of it all, and we, the people of the US - born citizens and legal immigrants - do generally embrace other cultures and religions.
When will we all have enough of the hate?
The United States does not make it easy to enter this country legally. That's why so many people are sneaking in, crossing borders in the dark of night, or getting student visas and then vanishing into the populace. My best friend is married to a man from Mexico. He's been here since he was a child but he was brought here under the guise of a "visit" to legal relatives and then simply never returned to Mexico when his parents did. You may ask why good parents would leave their child in an entire other country with distant relatives and the answer would be - because there is nothing for him in Mexico. Had he stayed in Mexico he would not have an education or a job. Effectively, he grew up here. When he met my friend they fell in love and got married. They had two children. It was then he realized that if he was ever deported he would never see his family again. Thus began their incredibly difficult journey through the Immigration system. Every year, he filed Income Tax forms just like all the legal citizens of the US, or at least, like the law abiding ones. Each time he did it threw a red flag up because his "Social Security" number did not actually exist. The IRS would alert his employer and he was let go. This happened three times, three years straight but it was a necessary evil because he had to show his intent was to become a law abiding, tax paying legal immigrant. They retained an attorney who advised this. Next, the US Immigration Service supplies about 10 forms that must be completed showing intent to stay, who will provide, where you will live, what you intend to do here and so on and so forth. When submitted there is a filing fee for each form. The fee is anywhere from $90 to $700 depending on which form it is. Then, you wait. There is no guarantee that while you are waiting you will not be deported. You just wait. Eventually, you get a letter stating that you have to go to a local Immigration office (depending on your case will determine which one - either Chicago or Milwaukee). At the appointment you are finger printed and photographed. They also take blood for testing. This begins the back ground check. In my friend's case, he was not only checked based on his activity while in the US but his prior activity in Mexico. Then, because he was here already and should not have been, he had to go back to Mexico to wait for an appointment at the embassy there. No one could give him a time line for how long he would wait. If there was one tiny missing piece in his paperwork he might have been made to wait years. There was a real possibility that his children would be teen agers or adults by the time he was allowed back in. Thankfully, everything was correct. He attended that meeting and was given approval to return legally but not before one more glitch. My friend had to get signed affidavits showing that she would be suffering a hardship if her husband was not allowed to return to the family. She had to have doctor's notes (Her health was bad at that time) and personal witness letters proving he was needed here. Finally, he came home and now has a "green card" to prove he is here legally. It was a long drawn out process with several back ground checks in the way.
In the case of my husband and I, it went somewhat different. Partially because he was not already here when we started the process and, I believe, partially because he was coming from a Scandinavian country and not one of the "hot button" countries like Mexico or the Middle East. We intended to get married so the first thing we did was retain an attorney to walk us through the steps to getting a "Fiance" visa. This visa allowed him to travel to the US with the full intent on marrying within 90 days of getting here. Which is what we did. Once married, we had to begin the shitstorm of Immigration paperwork to obtain a work permit and green card. This time we did it alone - no attorney. We filled out a ton of papers, got photos, affidavits from people who know us, gathered photographic evidence of our lives together, ticket stubs, stuff from vacations together, anything that showed we were indeed a married couple. That all had to be submitted, again with a hefty filing fee and then we waited. Eventually we got an appointment for the forensics - finger prints and blood work. Then we had an interview. We sat in a room of other anxious people being called in one by one to be questioned by an immigration interviewer. When it was our turn they called us together. Our file, sitting on the desk in front of the interviewer was enormous. He had every slip of paperwork we had ever filed even from before Alex came to the US. He looked stern and paged through it. He started asking us some simple questions - when is his birthday (to me), what is your address (to him) as a way to gage if we were really together. Then he saw that Alex was a musician (it was in the file) and asked him what his favorite band was. Alex told him Radiohead and the interviewer sat up and smiled and agreed and asked him what CD was their best and the two of them talked about Radiohead for about five minutes. After they were done, he stamped his approval on our file and that was that! I shudder to think what might have happened had Alex said his fave band was Motley Crue or something like that. After a while, Alex's green card arrived in the mail. But that wasn't the end of it. After two years, we had to refile what they call a "Change in Condition" form (and another $500+ filing fee). This form was to let the Immigration Service know that his intent was to stay in the US permanently. It was approved and he is now what is called a "resident permanent alien". Eventually, he may choose to become a US citizen but that will be up to him.
The point is this...it is not easy to enter the US legally. While there may be some reform that could be done, it's not that simple to just "come to the US" as some people think. The fact that the identified suspects in this bombing are here on student visa's is not a flaw in the immigration system. They are criminals, bottom line. But no back ground check is going to determine that either unless they have previously perpetrated a crime prior to entering the US. And in that case they would not be entering the US on a student visa! They may come in illegally somehow but they would not have been issued a visa. I do understand the frustration people feel when talking about immigration issues. The perception of illegals entering our country, taking jobs and getting benefits without doing it the right way is frustrating when so many citizens are without work or benefits. But I also cannot blame the individuals who try it because knowing the poverty and duress they're coming from I think I would try it to if I were them. I blame government. Even ours. So little time and money is used to find ways to assist the lower economic classes in any country - including the US. It's a telling sign that people choose to enter illegally to live in poverty here because our poverty level is still a higher standard of living than from whence they came. But it is also telling that our government turns a blind eye to the impoverished citizens of the US as well. So, why did these two bombers come here? Education? Maybe. Or maybe this was planned all along. We may never know. It's too bad that in the two years they were here they did not open their eyes to all that is truly good in the US. Because there is so much good here. I don't really understand the deep hatred that manifests itself in some cultures for the US. I think I can see why it might but if they really looked at the people here, the good people, they would have seen that we are bigger than our government, bigger than the politics of it all, and we, the people of the US - born citizens and legal immigrants - do generally embrace other cultures and religions.
When will we all have enough of the hate?
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Donald Trump is an idiot...
While I will be the first to admit, I like watching "Celebrity Apprentice". I mean, all the back stabbing, in fighting and hair pulling among the "celebrities" is an amusing way to pass time on a Sunday night. I even enjoy the boardroom where the Donald questions the teams about what's happened, who do they think he should fire and why and then, of course, the iconic point and "You're fired." I like it. It makes me laugh. Whenever I hear Donald Trump speak on that show I have to wonder how the hell he became as powerful and popular as he is. I mean, granted, he may be a good business man. That's debatable depending on what you read or who you talk to. He's done well for himself. it amuses me to watch him come to some cockamamie conclusion on the show, fire someone and then turn to either his mannequinesque daughter or uber-dork son for confirmation that he indeed did well. They generally look at him with admiration, nod, smile and say, "That was a tough one but you made the right decision." If I stood to inherit a bazillion dollars I think I would agree with everything my idiot father said too!
But lately, Trump is getting on my last nerve. This whole ridiculous things about Obama's birth certificate is the most laughable, stupid waste of time the media has EVER spent time on. And, believe me, as a watcher of reality TV I have seen a lot of stupid wastes of time. Now he wants Obama's school records. For what? To prove what?? What it proves is that Trump is a racist ass hat who is using these incredibly dumb ass "revelations" to just get more media time for himself. What he's really trying to say, without coming out and saying it, is that he believes, as do many other dumb asses in this country, that there is no possible way for an African American to ever have been legitimately elected President of the United States. Well, guess what asshole... he was, he is and you're not...so live with it already!
The Donald is supposed to be announcing whether or not he's going to run for President this week. Well, whoopee friggan' doo! Really? This is the best we can do in this country? A barely able to put two words together millionaire TV darling who spends most of his time thinking of ways to keep his name in the media? (Think Rosie O'Donell vs. Trump and how long that shit storm lasted). Trump is a joke and anyone who listens to him is a joke and, for the record, if he does run for President, anyone who wastes their vote on him is a joke who's voting rights should be taken away for life.
But lately, Trump is getting on my last nerve. This whole ridiculous things about Obama's birth certificate is the most laughable, stupid waste of time the media has EVER spent time on. And, believe me, as a watcher of reality TV I have seen a lot of stupid wastes of time. Now he wants Obama's school records. For what? To prove what?? What it proves is that Trump is a racist ass hat who is using these incredibly dumb ass "revelations" to just get more media time for himself. What he's really trying to say, without coming out and saying it, is that he believes, as do many other dumb asses in this country, that there is no possible way for an African American to ever have been legitimately elected President of the United States. Well, guess what asshole... he was, he is and you're not...so live with it already!
The Donald is supposed to be announcing whether or not he's going to run for President this week. Well, whoopee friggan' doo! Really? This is the best we can do in this country? A barely able to put two words together millionaire TV darling who spends most of his time thinking of ways to keep his name in the media? (Think Rosie O'Donell vs. Trump and how long that shit storm lasted). Trump is a joke and anyone who listens to him is a joke and, for the record, if he does run for President, anyone who wastes their vote on him is a joke who's voting rights should be taken away for life.
Friday, February 25, 2011
And so it goes....
I've been home from work for the past two days nursing my aching sciatic nerve back to some reasonable facsimile of health again. In the meantime, I've had lots of time to watch what's happening at our state capitol.
What's happening is...well...more of the same. Governor Scott Walker has dug his heels in and is not making any attempt at a resolution. The Democratic senators are still in hiding in Illinois. They're doing their best to keep working via phone and internet but they're holding strong and standing their ground. I,for one, am very proud of them.
Last night, the Gov gave a press conference alluding to the fact that he is ready (almost giddily eager) to start laying off state workers and other public workers. Again, like killing off one hostage at a time until he gets what he wants. Jerk...
The Democratic members of the state assembly did their level best to deter a vote. They stayed up for days and offered debate. But a vote was taken and, as expected since our current state government is overwhelmingly Republican, it passed. Still, they did their best. Even walked out to the Gov's office at one point, demanding to speak to him, but to no avail. He wouldn't let them. Jerk...
Daily, for the past two weeks, thousands of people have been peacefully marching on Madison. Today, the Gov wants to shut down the capitol making is impossible for the protesters to get inside. Police and firefighters are begging him to allow the protesters in for as long as this take. He's not listening. Jerk...
Today, a large group of protesters from Disability Rights WI have converged in Madison wanting to speak to the Gov. There is a portion of this bill that will directly effect those people with disabilities who receive Medicaid insurance coverage. If passed, this bill will change their lives by limiting the already limited health and mental health services they can receive. This bill has a far reaching scope that will negatively impact both the middle and lower economic classes. Oh, by the way, the Gov wouldn't meet with the disabled protesters either. JERK!
This bill is not just about the budget.
This bill is not just about the unions.
This bill is not just about giving those who have more.
This bill is about one JERK being the poster boy for a Republican movement to cut the Democrats off at the knees. Its about calling it a "financial" crisis - pointing at those who have been able get a little bit more than others - and crying "Unfair!" without really coming up with any good solution. Taking away pensions, collective bargaining and whatnot doesn't make it fair. It makes us all settle for poverty standards. "If I can't have it, neither can you!" seems to the battle cry. What I can't understand is why those people aren't screaming at our government saying, "WE'RE THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! FIGURE OUT A WAY WE CAN ALL HAVE SOME!!" We let our government off so easy. There should be no poverty in the US. There should be no child having his only decent meal at school. Parents should earn enough to feed their kids. People shouldn't have to settle for whatever doctor takes their insurance, if at all. People should have choice. Other countries have done this. Why can't we?
As long as there are JERKS like Scott Walker around, we will never have anything fair in Wisconsin.
What's happening is...well...more of the same. Governor Scott Walker has dug his heels in and is not making any attempt at a resolution. The Democratic senators are still in hiding in Illinois. They're doing their best to keep working via phone and internet but they're holding strong and standing their ground. I,for one, am very proud of them.
Last night, the Gov gave a press conference alluding to the fact that he is ready (almost giddily eager) to start laying off state workers and other public workers. Again, like killing off one hostage at a time until he gets what he wants. Jerk...
The Democratic members of the state assembly did their level best to deter a vote. They stayed up for days and offered debate. But a vote was taken and, as expected since our current state government is overwhelmingly Republican, it passed. Still, they did their best. Even walked out to the Gov's office at one point, demanding to speak to him, but to no avail. He wouldn't let them. Jerk...
Daily, for the past two weeks, thousands of people have been peacefully marching on Madison. Today, the Gov wants to shut down the capitol making is impossible for the protesters to get inside. Police and firefighters are begging him to allow the protesters in for as long as this take. He's not listening. Jerk...
Today, a large group of protesters from Disability Rights WI have converged in Madison wanting to speak to the Gov. There is a portion of this bill that will directly effect those people with disabilities who receive Medicaid insurance coverage. If passed, this bill will change their lives by limiting the already limited health and mental health services they can receive. This bill has a far reaching scope that will negatively impact both the middle and lower economic classes. Oh, by the way, the Gov wouldn't meet with the disabled protesters either. JERK!
This bill is not just about the budget.
This bill is not just about the unions.
This bill is not just about giving those who have more.
This bill is about one JERK being the poster boy for a Republican movement to cut the Democrats off at the knees. Its about calling it a "financial" crisis - pointing at those who have been able get a little bit more than others - and crying "Unfair!" without really coming up with any good solution. Taking away pensions, collective bargaining and whatnot doesn't make it fair. It makes us all settle for poverty standards. "If I can't have it, neither can you!" seems to the battle cry. What I can't understand is why those people aren't screaming at our government saying, "WE'RE THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! FIGURE OUT A WAY WE CAN ALL HAVE SOME!!" We let our government off so easy. There should be no poverty in the US. There should be no child having his only decent meal at school. Parents should earn enough to feed their kids. People shouldn't have to settle for whatever doctor takes their insurance, if at all. People should have choice. Other countries have done this. Why can't we?
As long as there are JERKS like Scott Walker around, we will never have anything fair in Wisconsin.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Politics, sciatica and more from the land of cheese...
First, my sciatic nerve is rising up to kill me this week. Hurts like a sonofabitch...staying home from work tomorrow to rest it up, maybe ice it and some ibuprofen. Usually works.
Second, Wisconsin has been the hot topic of most of the news stations for the past couple of weeks. Lemme see if I can recap it for you non-cheese heads...
a. Gov. Scott Walker tries to cram this cockamamie bill into the senate so it will be passed without allowing the Democrats the chance to even discuss it. In the bill are fun little things such as taking away collective bargaining from Union workers, tampering with Medicare and Medicaid, and making exceptions for those Unions that backed him in the election.
b. Thousands of people - Union workers, public workers, teachers and supporters - have been converging on Madison ever since.
c. The Democratic senators have take off, hiding out, in some undisclosed location because if they show up in the assembly, there is enough for a quoram and then the Republicans can vote. This can happen even if they Dems just show up in the morning and then, say, leave to use the restroom or have lunch. And it can happen if there is even just one of them present.
d. The Unions have already agreed to the financial changes requested by the Gov which would help balance the state budget. I mean, after all, that's what this bill is about, right? Hmmm, well maybe not...he won't hear of it. Yeah, tell me this isn't about more than the budget.
e. Today, Walker was "punk'd" and took a call from someone identifying himself as one of the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers are millionaires who stand to make millions more if this bill is passed. Democratic leaders have been trying to reach Walker for almost two weeks to talk this out to no avail. Someone says their last name is Koch...and he takes the call right away. What does that tell ya!?
f. Tonight on Fox News (yeah, yeah I know...Fox News...) Walker said, in an interview, that since this bill may not be passed by this Friday, he will "be forced to make other cuts" meaning the letting go of about 1500 or more state workers. This is akin to a kidnapper who gets his demands met by threatening to kill one hostage at a time unless he gets what he wants.
g. Scott Walker has tiny beady little eyes that are slightly crossed. Maybe it's just me but I cannot take this man seriously and I cannot believe a word he says. Oh, and he did something like all of this when he was the county executive in Milwaukee. He let go of the county court security workers and gave the contract to a private entity. That private entity screwed it up. The workers who were fired sought arbitration. An independent arbitrator found there was no cause for them to have been let go, so they were reinstated and were paid restitution...to the tune of almost half a million dollars. So much for Walker being able to balance a budget!
Clearly, I am not a fan of our Governor. I think he's a putz. And how he can ignore thousands of people who are clearly against what he is doing is beyond me.
Recall, anyone??
Second, Wisconsin has been the hot topic of most of the news stations for the past couple of weeks. Lemme see if I can recap it for you non-cheese heads...
a. Gov. Scott Walker tries to cram this cockamamie bill into the senate so it will be passed without allowing the Democrats the chance to even discuss it. In the bill are fun little things such as taking away collective bargaining from Union workers, tampering with Medicare and Medicaid, and making exceptions for those Unions that backed him in the election.
b. Thousands of people - Union workers, public workers, teachers and supporters - have been converging on Madison ever since.
c. The Democratic senators have take off, hiding out, in some undisclosed location because if they show up in the assembly, there is enough for a quoram and then the Republicans can vote. This can happen even if they Dems just show up in the morning and then, say, leave to use the restroom or have lunch. And it can happen if there is even just one of them present.
d. The Unions have already agreed to the financial changes requested by the Gov which would help balance the state budget. I mean, after all, that's what this bill is about, right? Hmmm, well maybe not...he won't hear of it. Yeah, tell me this isn't about more than the budget.
e. Today, Walker was "punk'd" and took a call from someone identifying himself as one of the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers are millionaires who stand to make millions more if this bill is passed. Democratic leaders have been trying to reach Walker for almost two weeks to talk this out to no avail. Someone says their last name is Koch...and he takes the call right away. What does that tell ya!?
f. Tonight on Fox News (yeah, yeah I know...Fox News...) Walker said, in an interview, that since this bill may not be passed by this Friday, he will "be forced to make other cuts" meaning the letting go of about 1500 or more state workers. This is akin to a kidnapper who gets his demands met by threatening to kill one hostage at a time unless he gets what he wants.
g. Scott Walker has tiny beady little eyes that are slightly crossed. Maybe it's just me but I cannot take this man seriously and I cannot believe a word he says. Oh, and he did something like all of this when he was the county executive in Milwaukee. He let go of the county court security workers and gave the contract to a private entity. That private entity screwed it up. The workers who were fired sought arbitration. An independent arbitrator found there was no cause for them to have been let go, so they were reinstated and were paid restitution...to the tune of almost half a million dollars. So much for Walker being able to balance a budget!
Clearly, I am not a fan of our Governor. I think he's a putz. And how he can ignore thousands of people who are clearly against what he is doing is beyond me.
Recall, anyone??
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The more things change...
...the more they stay the same...
I can clearly remember my Dad going on and on about Mayor Richard Daley way back when in Chicago. I can remember all of the voter fraud where names were registered to vote and the addresses turned out to cemeteries. I can remember the riots during the Democratic Convention way back when. I was just a little kid but I remember thinking all hell was breaking loose as cops beat down protesters and my Dad grumbled about "hippy scum". All of that happened years ago and you would think that in this day and age of promised change things would be different. Then I read this
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe
and I realized that for all the strides we have made over the years some things never really change. Politics is still a game and Chicago politics still stinks!
And, actually, all of this made me laugh out loud.
I can clearly remember my Dad going on and on about Mayor Richard Daley way back when in Chicago. I can remember all of the voter fraud where names were registered to vote and the addresses turned out to cemeteries. I can remember the riots during the Democratic Convention way back when. I was just a little kid but I remember thinking all hell was breaking loose as cops beat down protesters and my Dad grumbled about "hippy scum". All of that happened years ago and you would think that in this day and age of promised change things would be different. Then I read this
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe
and I realized that for all the strides we have made over the years some things never really change. Politics is still a game and Chicago politics still stinks!
And, actually, all of this made me laugh out loud.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The semi-great debate...
I'm as informed a voter as the next person but I've never really been interested in watching the candidates debate on television. To me, debates have always been just so much talking heads spewing out the same rhetoric they put into all the incessant ads that have been playing for the past two years. I did tune in last night though just out of curiosity. I have to say, though I completely disagree with her, I am intrigued by Sarah Palin. As a woman, I had hoped to see an example of a smart strong female who could stand her ground and make sense. I suppose she is smart (though her references to the average American as "joe sixpack" just irks me to no end. I suppose she is even strong. I mean, you don't get to be governor of a state without having something. Oh wait...Arnold did it, didn't he? Yeah... well, nevermind then.
Unfortunately, what I saw was the same old, same old. It was just wrapped up in an updo and high heels. But the truth is, I kind of saw the same thing in Biden. Okay, not the high heels or updo but you know what I mean! Lots of talk, shades of a vague plan or too which are usually the things that fall away pretty damn quickly once the election is over. It was all there. Eventually I just turned off the sound.
The thing is, as much as we all say we need change, I don't know that we're really prepared for it. Don't get me wrong, I want W out of that White House yesterday and I sure don't want someone who will just proliferate his cockamamie ideas for the next four years to get elected. But real change is hard. It's not enough to change the names and faces of our leaders. We have to be ready, willing and accept some of the hardships and unfamiliar routines that must come will any real change. We have to be able to be hard on ourselves and accept personal responsibility.
Yes, the US is too dependent on foreign oil but, honestly, how many of us have started to car pool, take mass transit, bike, or walk to work. Yes, the US needs to take care of the homeland security issues but is it prudent (to quote George B. senior) to do it at the risk of losing touch with those people who live here on the economic edge of no return? How can we build school and educate children in other countries when our own school systems are being short changed and having programs cut left and right. And here's the big change...how can we realistically do any of this without raising taxes? The truth is, we can't. And the first honest politician who tells me that gets my vote. And that tax thing is the one thing that almost everyone I've talked to opposes. They do not want to pay more to get more and that's final! So, yeah, we can talk about change and how the government "should" do this or that and the other...as long as it doesn't have any affect on us. Unfortunately, that means more of the same.
Unfortunately, what I saw was the same old, same old. It was just wrapped up in an updo and high heels. But the truth is, I kind of saw the same thing in Biden. Okay, not the high heels or updo but you know what I mean! Lots of talk, shades of a vague plan or too which are usually the things that fall away pretty damn quickly once the election is over. It was all there. Eventually I just turned off the sound.
The thing is, as much as we all say we need change, I don't know that we're really prepared for it. Don't get me wrong, I want W out of that White House yesterday and I sure don't want someone who will just proliferate his cockamamie ideas for the next four years to get elected. But real change is hard. It's not enough to change the names and faces of our leaders. We have to be ready, willing and accept some of the hardships and unfamiliar routines that must come will any real change. We have to be able to be hard on ourselves and accept personal responsibility.
Yes, the US is too dependent on foreign oil but, honestly, how many of us have started to car pool, take mass transit, bike, or walk to work. Yes, the US needs to take care of the homeland security issues but is it prudent (to quote George B. senior) to do it at the risk of losing touch with those people who live here on the economic edge of no return? How can we build school and educate children in other countries when our own school systems are being short changed and having programs cut left and right. And here's the big change...how can we realistically do any of this without raising taxes? The truth is, we can't. And the first honest politician who tells me that gets my vote. And that tax thing is the one thing that almost everyone I've talked to opposes. They do not want to pay more to get more and that's final! So, yeah, we can talk about change and how the government "should" do this or that and the other...as long as it doesn't have any affect on us. Unfortunately, that means more of the same.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Unsportsmanlike behavior...
There's been a lot of swirling controversy being reported on the upcoming summer Olypmics in China these days. The torch run has begun as has the protests about the ides of the Olympics being held in China at all. The political climate of China is, at best, turbulent and it's no secret that the Chinese torture and killing of Tibetan nationals is prevelant.
I understand the aversion to hosting the Olypics in a country that has this violence, not only in it's history, but also today. I also feel, however, that if there was ever a time when politics should NOT come into play, it is for the peaceful, community building on a global scale that is the Olympics. I remember reading about the 1936 Olympics which were held in Nazi Germany. It was not too many years after that when the world realized the depth to which that countries politics of the time had terrorized entire races of people. Even in 1936 the world was aware of the political slant of the Nazi regime yet the Olympics went on anyway. Hitler snubbed the great Jesse Owens who, in turn, and with grace and dignity, showed that he was the the superior athlete. He made a quiet statement of global peace through his actions. Part of me feels that is what the Olympics should be about.
There is something to be said for the serentiy of an international competition which allows friends and foes to come together on one soil, compete in peace and, for the moment, have a sense of their own national pride regardless of how large or small a country, how rich or poor a country, and regardless of what the national politics may be.
For the US, doesn't it smack of hypocrosy to boycott the Olympics because we don't like China's stand on Tibet when we are engaged in an unjust war and housing "prisoners" without cause? I think at some point a line must be drawn between politics and sport. I'm not naive enough to think that politics doesn't come into play within the Olympic committee but I do hope that at the very heart of the matter, the world can see that the Olympics may be just a small step in the right directin to global understanding and world harmony.
I understand the aversion to hosting the Olypics in a country that has this violence, not only in it's history, but also today. I also feel, however, that if there was ever a time when politics should NOT come into play, it is for the peaceful, community building on a global scale that is the Olympics. I remember reading about the 1936 Olympics which were held in Nazi Germany. It was not too many years after that when the world realized the depth to which that countries politics of the time had terrorized entire races of people. Even in 1936 the world was aware of the political slant of the Nazi regime yet the Olympics went on anyway. Hitler snubbed the great Jesse Owens who, in turn, and with grace and dignity, showed that he was the the superior athlete. He made a quiet statement of global peace through his actions. Part of me feels that is what the Olympics should be about.
There is something to be said for the serentiy of an international competition which allows friends and foes to come together on one soil, compete in peace and, for the moment, have a sense of their own national pride regardless of how large or small a country, how rich or poor a country, and regardless of what the national politics may be.
For the US, doesn't it smack of hypocrosy to boycott the Olympics because we don't like China's stand on Tibet when we are engaged in an unjust war and housing "prisoners" without cause? I think at some point a line must be drawn between politics and sport. I'm not naive enough to think that politics doesn't come into play within the Olympic committee but I do hope that at the very heart of the matter, the world can see that the Olympics may be just a small step in the right directin to global understanding and world harmony.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
I need suggestions....
and since I only have one reader, yes Van, I'm talking to you! Haha!
I love to read and lately ever book I've picked up has been some abominal mess that has bored me to tears. Give me some titles!
Now onto other business...
We're having a Mayoral election here soon. Our current Mayor who's done much to turn this little city around and brought much business, culture and visual improvement to us has decided not to run. Last night on a local access channel they aired a debate of sorts for those who have decided to run. All I can say is SHEESH! There were six candidates but one has dropped out. More about him later. Anywho - candidate #1's claim to fame is that he has his own local access talk show and he thinks he is the reincarnation of Johnny Carson except without the sense of humor. He has never worked in city government. In fact, I don't think he's ever worked at all at anything. #2 is a nice guy but he's about 110 years old and kept talking about how the city was better off 35 years ago. Thirty five years ago the city lost it's most important employer which sent the entire city into a decade of blight and poverty. Man #3 is someone who is so soft spoken he could barely speak when asked a question. He had some good ideas but was getting walked all over during the one hour debate. #4 is a woman who works in the Operations Dept. of the city and her answers to the qeustions were almost undecipherable. Mister #5 used to be Mayor at one time. He quit and went to take another job in another city. Then he was sued by Kenosha for something he had done in his short term and he completely lost it. He showed up at his hearing toting a gun. Besides that he looks very much like Gomez Adams. Now candidate #6 - the drop out candidate - also has his own local access show. It's called Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre (no shit) and he dresses in full on goth/Herman Munster make up...even in his off time. He's a musician who used to front a band called Die Monster Die. Here's the thing - he dropped out because, obviously, people were not taking him seriously but before he dropped out I got the chance to hear him speak about the city and the direction he would like to take it. He was good! I probably would have voted for him. I guess most people can't concieve of having someone in full goth/Herman Munster make up running city hall. Haha!
So, who to vote for? I have no idea. This is really going to be one of those eeny meeny miney moe choices for me and, probably, most of the citizens of Kenosha, WI.
I love to read and lately ever book I've picked up has been some abominal mess that has bored me to tears. Give me some titles!
Now onto other business...
We're having a Mayoral election here soon. Our current Mayor who's done much to turn this little city around and brought much business, culture and visual improvement to us has decided not to run. Last night on a local access channel they aired a debate of sorts for those who have decided to run. All I can say is SHEESH! There were six candidates but one has dropped out. More about him later. Anywho - candidate #1's claim to fame is that he has his own local access talk show and he thinks he is the reincarnation of Johnny Carson except without the sense of humor. He has never worked in city government. In fact, I don't think he's ever worked at all at anything. #2 is a nice guy but he's about 110 years old and kept talking about how the city was better off 35 years ago. Thirty five years ago the city lost it's most important employer which sent the entire city into a decade of blight and poverty. Man #3 is someone who is so soft spoken he could barely speak when asked a question. He had some good ideas but was getting walked all over during the one hour debate. #4 is a woman who works in the Operations Dept. of the city and her answers to the qeustions were almost undecipherable. Mister #5 used to be Mayor at one time. He quit and went to take another job in another city. Then he was sued by Kenosha for something he had done in his short term and he completely lost it. He showed up at his hearing toting a gun. Besides that he looks very much like Gomez Adams. Now candidate #6 - the drop out candidate - also has his own local access show. It's called Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre (no shit) and he dresses in full on goth/Herman Munster make up...even in his off time. He's a musician who used to front a band called Die Monster Die. Here's the thing - he dropped out because, obviously, people were not taking him seriously but before he dropped out I got the chance to hear him speak about the city and the direction he would like to take it. He was good! I probably would have voted for him. I guess most people can't concieve of having someone in full goth/Herman Munster make up running city hall. Haha!
So, who to vote for? I have no idea. This is really going to be one of those eeny meeny miney moe choices for me and, probably, most of the citizens of Kenosha, WI.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Turn Your Head in Shame
Virtually all of the genocide perpetrated on the people of Darfur has been committed by the Janjaweed. Janjaweed roughly translates as "a man with a gun on a horse". It's estimated that to date 200,000 people have been murdered and countless more made homeless and living in terror at the murderous hands of the Janjaweed. They are comprised of nomadic Arabic speaking African tribes and have been in conflict with the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, rebel factions attempting to end the violence. Their main goal in Darfu as in other parts of Africa is ethnic cleansing. They attack villages of innocent people, killing at will and without mercy - men, women, children alike - and use rape as an "effective weapon of ethnic cleansing". The terror and sorrow administered at their hands for the past four and half years has devastated the entire western region.
Last July, the UN-AU officials promised to send 26,000 peace keeping troops into the area. They also agreed to support the already deployed 7,000 AU peacekeeper there. However, the no-show of representatives at the recent peace talks held in Libya may have delayed the proposed deployment which was was supposed to happen at the end of this year. It is thought that without the commitment and participation of these rebel factions, other countries would not readily commit to using their troops to stop the blood shed. The rebel leaders who did not attend the talks complained that the U.N has refused to heed their requests for a delay in sending troops which, they say, would allow them to form a more united front among the various rebel factions and come to some agreement on a delegation. At face value, the rebel factions requests seem reasonable since they are currently fighting under separate control with independent leadership. But I have to think that this is also a thinly veiled ploy to jockey for the leading position in who has the power to do what in the conflict that will ensue. Whatever the reason, all this has done is delayed any help that should be sent to Darfur and allowed the violence to continue at a rapid pace.
I have been watching the events in Darfur unfold with interest and horror. As an American I am saddened that my own government, so quick to plow into lessor conflicts with little thought, has been disappointingly slow to respond to the plight of Darfur. Our news media has not shed light on the genocide of these people with the importance they deserve. They will broadcast full hour long reports on the latest rehab debacle of Britney Spears and Darfur is an a 20 second after thought or a scroll at the bottom of the screen. I feel that is primarily because America has nothing to gain from assisting this tortured region of the world. As a nation which once prided itself as the caring shoulders of the world, our recent indifferent, self serving role in foreign affairs has forever tarnished our relationships in many countries and has made us the butt of jokes and hatred almost universally.
As a woman, I am personally appalled at the tactics being perpetrated by the Janjaweed - murdering children in front of their horrified mothers and then raping those mothers to breed a more "ethnically pure" race. We are witnessing a holocaust of new era. As an American, I am deeply disappointed in the lack of swift action to alleviate the suffering of these people and the turning of the eye to their plight. As a human being, I am dismayed that those who are attempting to send relief have bogged the process with petty arguments about who will lead. In the meantime, the violence continues and the people of Darfur, the Sudan and Chad continue to flee for their lives and lose everything they have and everyone they love.
http://instantkarma.org/index.html
Last July, the UN-AU officials promised to send 26,000 peace keeping troops into the area. They also agreed to support the already deployed 7,000 AU peacekeeper there. However, the no-show of representatives at the recent peace talks held in Libya may have delayed the proposed deployment which was was supposed to happen at the end of this year. It is thought that without the commitment and participation of these rebel factions, other countries would not readily commit to using their troops to stop the blood shed. The rebel leaders who did not attend the talks complained that the U.N has refused to heed their requests for a delay in sending troops which, they say, would allow them to form a more united front among the various rebel factions and come to some agreement on a delegation. At face value, the rebel factions requests seem reasonable since they are currently fighting under separate control with independent leadership. But I have to think that this is also a thinly veiled ploy to jockey for the leading position in who has the power to do what in the conflict that will ensue. Whatever the reason, all this has done is delayed any help that should be sent to Darfur and allowed the violence to continue at a rapid pace.
I have been watching the events in Darfur unfold with interest and horror. As an American I am saddened that my own government, so quick to plow into lessor conflicts with little thought, has been disappointingly slow to respond to the plight of Darfur. Our news media has not shed light on the genocide of these people with the importance they deserve. They will broadcast full hour long reports on the latest rehab debacle of Britney Spears and Darfur is an a 20 second after thought or a scroll at the bottom of the screen. I feel that is primarily because America has nothing to gain from assisting this tortured region of the world. As a nation which once prided itself as the caring shoulders of the world, our recent indifferent, self serving role in foreign affairs has forever tarnished our relationships in many countries and has made us the butt of jokes and hatred almost universally.
As a woman, I am personally appalled at the tactics being perpetrated by the Janjaweed - murdering children in front of their horrified mothers and then raping those mothers to breed a more "ethnically pure" race. We are witnessing a holocaust of new era. As an American, I am deeply disappointed in the lack of swift action to alleviate the suffering of these people and the turning of the eye to their plight. As a human being, I am dismayed that those who are attempting to send relief have bogged the process with petty arguments about who will lead. In the meantime, the violence continues and the people of Darfur, the Sudan and Chad continue to flee for their lives and lose everything they have and everyone they love.
http://instantkarma.org/index.html
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The Politics of Dancing
Let me tell you a little about the dynamics of my family. I am the youngest of six, five girls, one boy. The first thing people notice when they meet us is that we are close. We spend what may be an unhealthy amount of time together. The second thing people notice is that we are loud and opinionated. The six of us span the socio-economic cross hatch of typical Americans. We are all employed at a wide variety of jobs and our earning are hugely varied from one another. So is our politics. I have learned over the years that my views on life, love and the world are not happily welcomed in the course of a conversation. I am liberal. I believe that people should, overall, be allowed to live the life they choose as long as they are not harming anyone and I firmly believe that our government is sorely out of touch with the needs of the people. This means that in the course of a heated debate about the efficacy of our current administration, I am often the odd man out in my views. As much as I love a good debate, I find that these usually end with me being called a moron by my brother who loves to have the last word. Moron is usually the last word. Not because I have run out of good argumentative points but because it is at that point that I realize he has. I call this phenomenon the "Dance of the School Yard Bully". It's the same scenario on the playground in grade school when two kids get into a shouting match and it inevitably ends up with someone saying "yeah, well, you're stupid!" as if that personal attack has made their point completely. I have tried to argue that calling me a moron does not make his point more valid but that is just an exercise in futility. No, the best thing to do when a debate resorts to "you're a moron" is to sigh, smile and shake your head. It doesn't get your original point across but it does tend to piss off your attacker. There is some satisfaction in that!
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