Marybeth Hicks
Columnist
The Washington Times
Call it an occupational hazard, but I can’t look at the Occupy Wall
Street protesters without thinking, who parented these people"?
As a culture columnist, I’ve commented on the social and political
ramifications of the movement - now known as OWS - whose fairyland
agenda can be summarized by one of their placards: Everything for
everybody.
Thanks to their pipe-dream platform, it’s clear there are people with
serious designs on transformational change in
the protesters like bed springs in a brothel.
Yet it’s not my role as a commentator that prompts my parenting
question, but rather the fact that I’m the mother of four teens and
young adults. There are some crucial life lessons that the protesters’
moms clearly have not passed along.
Here, then, are five things the OWS protesters’ mothers should have
taught their children but obviously didn’t, so I will:
I Life isn’t fair. The concept of justice - that everyone should be
treated fairly - is a worthy and worthwhile moral imperative on which
our nation was founded. But justice and economic equality are not the
same. Or, as Mick Jagger said, ‘You can’t always get what you want.’
II No matter how you try to ‘level the playing field,’ some people have
better luck, skills, talents or connections that land them in better
places. Some seem to have all the advantages in life but squander
them, others play the modest hand they’re dealt and make up the
difference in hard work and perseverance, and some find jobs on Wall
Street and eventually buy houses in the
question.
III Nothing is ‘free.’ Protesting with signs that seek ‘free’ college
degrees and ‘free’ health care make you look like idiots, because
colleges and hospitals don’t operate on rainbows and sunshine. There
is no magic money machine to tap for your meandering educational
careers and ‘slow paths’ to adulthood, and the 53 percent of taxpaying
Americans owe you neither a degree nor an annual physical.
IV While I’m pointing out this obvious fact, here are a few other things
that are not free: overtime for police officers and municipal workers,
trash hauling, repairs to fixtures and property, condoms, Band-Aids
and the food that inexplicably appears on the tables in your makeshift
protest kitchens. Real people with real dollars are underwriting your
civic temper tantrum.
V Your word is your bond. When you demonstrate to eliminate student
loan debt, you are advocating precisely the lack of integrity you
decry in others. Loans are made based on solemn promises to repay
them. No one forces you to borrow money; you are free to choose
educational pursuits that don’t require loans, or to seek technical or
vocational training that allows you to support yourself and your
ongoing educational goals. Also, for the record, being a college
student is not a state of victimization. It’s a privilege that
billions of young people around the globe would die for - literally.
‘ A protest is not a party. On Saturday in
mad dash from my cab to the door of my hotel to avoid you, I saw what
isn’t evident in the newsreel footage of your demonstrations: Most of
you are doing this only for attention and fun. Serious people in a
sober pursuit of social and political change don’t dance jigs down
foolish, you smell gross, you are clearly high and you don’’t seem to
realize that all around you are people who deem you irrelevant.
‘ There are reasons you haven’t found jobs. The truth Your tattooed
necks, gauged ears, facial piercings and dirty dreadlocks are
off-putting. Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity isn’t a
virtue. Occupy reality: Only 4 percent of college graduates are out of
work. If you are among that 4 percent, find a mirror and face the
problem. It’s not them. It’s you.
Monday, November 21, 2011
My sentiments exactly!
I received this from a friend, and had to pass it on:
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Nothing ever changes!
Received this from a Conservative friend, and had to share:
Click on the image to enlarge it... note that this is from a 1949 newspaper!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Book review: "America Alone" by Mark Steyn
Guest reviewer: Rosa Dierks, PhD.
Mark Steyn’s America Alone is a provocative book alerting America about the decline of Europe and the perils of following Europe’s footsteps into the morass of cultural relativism. The author addresses the political, economic, cultural and demographic forces that have transformed Europe. A central argument is that Europe’s decline and the concurrent rise of Islamic power in the continent can be attributed to the West’s demographic decline, the unsustainability of the European social democratic state, and cultural decay. These trends are exacerbated by a collapse of confidence in the greatness of Western civilization. As Muslim populations continue to rise and European birth rates decline, the unsustainable debt levels of its welfare states leave Europe vulnerable to the vagaries of economic cycles.
Steyn’s prescription for avoiding a dire scenario is grounded in less governmental intrusion, thus allowing citizens to exercise free choice and individual responsibility. Yet he is not optimistic as to the probability of a European reversal. Due to Europe’s obsession with multiculturalism, the downfall of Europe is more likely than a return to less government. He presents empirical evidence to prove how the explosive growth of Muslim populations in Europe has given rise to the erosion of Western values from Denmark to Estonia. These trends are no longer confined to Europe. They span the globe and have serious repercussions for the survival of Western civilization.
Islamists are ensconced in European communities. They are intent on changing European societies as a way to erase Western values and replace them with sharia law. Steyn argues that a vast global network of madrassas, fundamentalist Islamic schools financed primarily by Saudi oil is indoctrinating Muslim youth to dismantle Western civilization. He challenges the West to ask: “What would victory look like?” Not an easy question to answer, since the radicalization of Islam is not confined to Afghanistan or Pakistan. Rather, it is a global ideological struggle that has swept Europe and threatens the survival of the entire West.
With the demise of Europe, America stands alone as the only power capable of mounting an offensive strike. This not only implies military engagement, but the political will to win the cultural battle against radical Islam. Steyn concludes that in the struggle for survival, the West has three options, namely submit to, destroy, or reform Islam. He dismisses the first and second options as unrealistic and offers a 10- point strategy to weaken radical Islamist ideology. This strategy relies on America’s ability to lead by taking out the Iranian regime, defunding Saudi madrassas, think tanks, and radical mosques across the globe. In short, America must be willing to take a strong stand against the enemies of Western civilization and engage globally to turn the radical Islamic tide that has already engulfed Europe.
Steyn shines a light on the dangers of ignoring the legacy of Western civilization. With the decline of Europe and the rise of radical Islam, America stands alone in the struggle to preserve freedom. Its very survival depends on its willingness to win an ideological war against an enemy intent on turning America into a mirror image of European decline. In the end, the reader is left to ponder how America could rise to this global challenge given its current lack of leadership in the White House and in the US Senate. A dysfunctional educational system, which perpetuates multiculturalism from coast to coast compounds the challenge and leaves America vulnerable to following Europe’s predicament.
Mark Steyn’s America Alone is a provocative book alerting America about the decline of Europe and the perils of following Europe’s footsteps into the morass of cultural relativism. The author addresses the political, economic, cultural and demographic forces that have transformed Europe. A central argument is that Europe’s decline and the concurrent rise of Islamic power in the continent can be attributed to the West’s demographic decline, the unsustainability of the European social democratic state, and cultural decay. These trends are exacerbated by a collapse of confidence in the greatness of Western civilization. As Muslim populations continue to rise and European birth rates decline, the unsustainable debt levels of its welfare states leave Europe vulnerable to the vagaries of economic cycles.
Steyn’s prescription for avoiding a dire scenario is grounded in less governmental intrusion, thus allowing citizens to exercise free choice and individual responsibility. Yet he is not optimistic as to the probability of a European reversal. Due to Europe’s obsession with multiculturalism, the downfall of Europe is more likely than a return to less government. He presents empirical evidence to prove how the explosive growth of Muslim populations in Europe has given rise to the erosion of Western values from Denmark to Estonia. These trends are no longer confined to Europe. They span the globe and have serious repercussions for the survival of Western civilization.
Islamists are ensconced in European communities. They are intent on changing European societies as a way to erase Western values and replace them with sharia law. Steyn argues that a vast global network of madrassas, fundamentalist Islamic schools financed primarily by Saudi oil is indoctrinating Muslim youth to dismantle Western civilization. He challenges the West to ask: “What would victory look like?” Not an easy question to answer, since the radicalization of Islam is not confined to Afghanistan or Pakistan. Rather, it is a global ideological struggle that has swept Europe and threatens the survival of the entire West.
With the demise of Europe, America stands alone as the only power capable of mounting an offensive strike. This not only implies military engagement, but the political will to win the cultural battle against radical Islam. Steyn concludes that in the struggle for survival, the West has three options, namely submit to, destroy, or reform Islam. He dismisses the first and second options as unrealistic and offers a 10- point strategy to weaken radical Islamist ideology. This strategy relies on America’s ability to lead by taking out the Iranian regime, defunding Saudi madrassas, think tanks, and radical mosques across the globe. In short, America must be willing to take a strong stand against the enemies of Western civilization and engage globally to turn the radical Islamic tide that has already engulfed Europe.
Steyn shines a light on the dangers of ignoring the legacy of Western civilization. With the decline of Europe and the rise of radical Islam, America stands alone in the struggle to preserve freedom. Its very survival depends on its willingness to win an ideological war against an enemy intent on turning America into a mirror image of European decline. In the end, the reader is left to ponder how America could rise to this global challenge given its current lack of leadership in the White House and in the US Senate. A dysfunctional educational system, which perpetuates multiculturalism from coast to coast compounds the challenge and leaves America vulnerable to following Europe’s predicament.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Book review: "Free to Choose"
My Conservative studies group met last night to discuss "Free to Choose" by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman. If you are unfamiliar with this book, it was first published in 1980. My first thought after we chose this book to read was "hmm..... how relevant can it be to the world as it is today?". Well, guess what? It showed me how little things have really changed in the decades since the book first hit the shelves! An ever-growing government, the struggling economy, schools that are cranking out students who are ill-equipped to support themselves, and a populace that is clueless!
Here are a couple of quotes to garner your interest:
"Experience shows that once government undertakes an activity, it is seldom terminated. The activity may not live up to the expectation but that is more likely to lead to its expansion, to its being granted a larger budget, thaqn to its curtailment or abolition".
" A very different meaning of equality has emerged in the United States in recent decades - equality of outcome".
"... the Fed has given its heart not to controlling the quantity of money but to controlling interest rates, something that it does not have the power to do. The result... wide swings in both money and interest rates."
" No federal legislator could conceivably even read, let alone analyze and study, all the laws on which he must vote".
That last quote really got to me... since one of our Congressmen said pretty much the same thing at the time Obamacare was being voted on!!
The Friedmans do have a couple of really good suggestions that I think are as valid in 2011 as they were in 1980: A proposed Constitutional Amendment to limit Federal Spending, school vouchers, tax and spending limitations, and many more well thought-out ideas for returning us to a genuine Free-Market society. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling to understand what has happened to our country, and to see the direction we are headed if we don't take action now to halt our downslide into total government control! This book definitely needs to be required reading for all high school students!
Here are a couple of quotes to garner your interest:
"Experience shows that once government undertakes an activity, it is seldom terminated. The activity may not live up to the expectation but that is more likely to lead to its expansion, to its being granted a larger budget, thaqn to its curtailment or abolition".
" A very different meaning of equality has emerged in the United States in recent decades - equality of outcome".
"... the Fed has given its heart not to controlling the quantity of money but to controlling interest rates, something that it does not have the power to do. The result... wide swings in both money and interest rates."
" No federal legislator could conceivably even read, let alone analyze and study, all the laws on which he must vote".
That last quote really got to me... since one of our Congressmen said pretty much the same thing at the time Obamacare was being voted on!!
The Friedmans do have a couple of really good suggestions that I think are as valid in 2011 as they were in 1980: A proposed Constitutional Amendment to limit Federal Spending, school vouchers, tax and spending limitations, and many more well thought-out ideas for returning us to a genuine Free-Market society. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling to understand what has happened to our country, and to see the direction we are headed if we don't take action now to halt our downslide into total government control! This book definitely needs to be required reading for all high school students!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
A pie chart to make the numbers easier to understand
Here is an easy to understand pie chart that shows the problem we are facing, if only the liberals on both sides would face up to facts.
2011 Federal Budget
$2,170 billion - Income
$3,820 billion - Federal Budget
$1,650 billion - New Debt
$38 billion – Amount Cut (about 1% of the total budget)
To make it even easier to understand, remove some zeros and pretend it is a monthly household budget.
Total income for family: $2,170
Amount spent this month: $3,820
Increase in credit card debt this month: $1,650
Balance on credit card: $14,271 (the family's debt)
So last night, the family sat down at the kitchen table and agreed to cut $38 from their monthly budget.
God help us all!!! Please!!
2011 Federal Budget
$2,170 billion - Income
$3,820 billion - Federal Budget
$1,650 billion - New Debt
$38 billion – Amount Cut (about 1% of the total budget)
To make it even easier to understand, remove some zeros and pretend it is a monthly household budget.
Total income for family: $2,170
Amount spent this month: $3,820
Increase in credit card debt this month: $1,650
Balance on credit card: $14,271 (the family's debt)
So last night, the family sat down at the kitchen table and agreed to cut $38 from their monthly budget.
God help us all!!! Please!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Gubmint and How Gubmint Works
This was sent to me yesterday from a friend, and I just had to share it... amazing!
Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people, one to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created two positions, a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"
So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, an Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year, and we are $918,000 over budget. We must cut back." So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let that sink in.
Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY..... during the Carter Administration?
Anybody?
Anything?
No?
Didn't think so!
Bottom line: We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency...the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!
Ready?? It was very simple . . . and, at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977 TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND, NOW, IT'S 2011 -- 34 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"
A little over 34 years ago, 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70%+ of our oil consumption is foreign imports.
Ah, yes -- the good old Federal bureaucracy!!
NOW, WE HAVE TURNED THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?
Hello!! Anybody Home?............... I didn’t think so......................DANG!
And the EPA under direction of the President has targeted Coal fired power plants that give us 30%+ of our electric power for closure. Too much haze. After 100 years? Now their a problem.
Say what? Stop using a fuel source we have a lot of does not make sense. The last two years of no exploration for oil makes no sense. Another four years without a 180 degree change of direction on energy policy makes no sense to me. You decide.
Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people, one to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created two positions, a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"
So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, an Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year, and we are $918,000 over budget. We must cut back." So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let that sink in.
Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY..... during the Carter Administration?
Anybody?
Anything?
No?
Didn't think so!
Bottom line: We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency...the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!
Ready?? It was very simple . . . and, at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977 TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND, NOW, IT'S 2011 -- 34 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"
A little over 34 years ago, 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70%+ of our oil consumption is foreign imports.
Ah, yes -- the good old Federal bureaucracy!!
NOW, WE HAVE TURNED THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?
Hello!! Anybody Home?............... I didn’t think so......................DANG!
And the EPA under direction of the President has targeted Coal fired power plants that give us 30%+ of our electric power for closure. Too much haze. After 100 years? Now their a problem.
Say what? Stop using a fuel source we have a lot of does not make sense. The last two years of no exploration for oil makes no sense. Another four years without a 180 degree change of direction on energy policy makes no sense to me. You decide.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Video of the Day - Harry Reid (D-Nev) on Cowboy Poetry & NPR
Here it is folks... the democratic argument against cutting the federal budget!
Harry is not a happy camper! Awwww.....
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
8th grade education... then and now
A friend and former boss sent this to me... sure says a lot about the changes in this country's education system!
What it took to get an 8th grade education in 1895...Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?
This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina , Kansas , USA . It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina , and reprinted by the Salina Journal.
8th Grade Final Exam: Salina , KS - 1895
Grammar (Time, one hour)
1. Give nine rules for the use of capital letters.
2. Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications.
3. Define verse, stanza and paragraph
4. What are the principal parts of a verb? Give principal parts of 'lie,''play,' and 'run.'
5. Define case; illustrate each case.
6 What is punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of punctuation.
7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.
Arithmetic (Time,1 hour 15 minutes)
1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
2. A wagon box is 2 ft. Deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. Wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?
3. If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1,050 lbs. For tare?
4. District No 33 has a valuation of $35,000.. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?
5. Find the cost of 6,720 lbs. Coal at $6.00 per ton.
6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft.. Long at $20 per metre?
8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods?
10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt
U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)
1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided
2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas
6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton , Bell , Lincoln , Penn, and Howe?
8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.
Orthography (Time, one hour)
[Do we even know what this is??]
1. What is meant by the following: alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication
2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
3. What are the following, and give examples of each: trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals
4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u.' (HUH?)
5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name two exceptions under each rule.
6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: bi, dis-mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.
8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.
9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane , vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks
and by syllabication.
Geography (Time, one hour)
1 What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas ?
3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
4. Describe the mountains of North America
5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia , Odessa , Denver , Manitoba , Hecla , Yukon , St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each..
8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.
10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.
Notice that the exam took FIVE HOURS to complete.
Gives the saying 'he only had an 8th grade education' a whole new meaning, doesn't it?!
No wonder they dropped out after 8th grade. They already knew more than they needed to know!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Current events
Hard to believe it's been almost 3 months since my last post! So much has happened in that span of time... The multiple shootings in Tucson by someone who appears to be deranged, the spread of rioting in the middle east by citizens hungry for freedom, the protests in Wisconsin by Unions coupled with the abdication of 14 Democrats who were elected to represent their constituents, but who chose to leave the state to avoid voting on a measure to help reduce the state's deficit... these are indeed tumultous times!
My reaction to the shootings in Tucson ranged from shock to dismay to anger. Shock that someone would take the lives of innocent people, dismay when I realized it was an elected representative who was just trying to do her job: be available to talk with constituents... anger when I heard talk that it was a Tea Party member who was the shooter. There wasn't one shred of evidence to indicate that, but assumptions were made, political opportunists decided to capitalize on the event... shame on them! Shame on anyone who jumps to conclusions and uses a tragedy like this one to try and discredit their enemies or opponents.
Next came the riots and protests in Egypt, Tunisia, and the other middle east nations. I felt concern for the citizens of these nations, as well as visitors who were there at the time. I am always concerned when people rise up against tyranny... knowing that tyrants will not sit by quietly and bow to the will of the people. Sure enough, violence erupted and there were deaths and injuries. What I found very interesting, however, was the fact that Egypt tried to stymie communications via the internet or cell phones, but people were still able to get information, videos and photos out to the rest of the world. In the age of technology, it is difficult to suppress information, especially as it pertains to oppression and tyranny!
As for the incidents in Wisconsin... what I have heard is that teachers are afraid they will lose their jobs if they do not have collective bargaining, and they are sure the Governor is trying to break up the unions that represent public service employees, including the teachers. I worked for many years for a private company that had unions representing non-management employees. In all the years I worked there, there were only a few times where a strike either took place or was threatened by the unions. I found that the negotiators for the company did what they could to stay competitive with the other companys in our industry as far as wages and benefits. But one thing they did not do was allow the unions to force them into contracts they couldn't afford to keep. It's a different story when the government is the employer. There is something missing in the equation: the bottom line! Private companies must show a profit and stay fiscally healthy. The government has simply either raised taxes or borrowed money, increasing the deficit, and now we are on the brink of fiscal disaster nationally because of these ill-conceived practices. The only way we can recover is to rein in government spending, and if it takes legislation to ban unions from public service employees to accomplish a reduction in our deficit, then that must be considered along with a whole host of other changes to the way our government conducts its business.
I don't think the protests in Wisconsin, or the tactics currently being used by the Democratic legislators, are likely to go away any time soon, and I fully expect to see similar episodes of this type elsewhere in the nation. Too bad clearer heads can't prevail so we can come up with some workable solutions to our problems!
My reaction to the shootings in Tucson ranged from shock to dismay to anger. Shock that someone would take the lives of innocent people, dismay when I realized it was an elected representative who was just trying to do her job: be available to talk with constituents... anger when I heard talk that it was a Tea Party member who was the shooter. There wasn't one shred of evidence to indicate that, but assumptions were made, political opportunists decided to capitalize on the event... shame on them! Shame on anyone who jumps to conclusions and uses a tragedy like this one to try and discredit their enemies or opponents.
Next came the riots and protests in Egypt, Tunisia, and the other middle east nations. I felt concern for the citizens of these nations, as well as visitors who were there at the time. I am always concerned when people rise up against tyranny... knowing that tyrants will not sit by quietly and bow to the will of the people. Sure enough, violence erupted and there were deaths and injuries. What I found very interesting, however, was the fact that Egypt tried to stymie communications via the internet or cell phones, but people were still able to get information, videos and photos out to the rest of the world. In the age of technology, it is difficult to suppress information, especially as it pertains to oppression and tyranny!
As for the incidents in Wisconsin... what I have heard is that teachers are afraid they will lose their jobs if they do not have collective bargaining, and they are sure the Governor is trying to break up the unions that represent public service employees, including the teachers. I worked for many years for a private company that had unions representing non-management employees. In all the years I worked there, there were only a few times where a strike either took place or was threatened by the unions. I found that the negotiators for the company did what they could to stay competitive with the other companys in our industry as far as wages and benefits. But one thing they did not do was allow the unions to force them into contracts they couldn't afford to keep. It's a different story when the government is the employer. There is something missing in the equation: the bottom line! Private companies must show a profit and stay fiscally healthy. The government has simply either raised taxes or borrowed money, increasing the deficit, and now we are on the brink of fiscal disaster nationally because of these ill-conceived practices. The only way we can recover is to rein in government spending, and if it takes legislation to ban unions from public service employees to accomplish a reduction in our deficit, then that must be considered along with a whole host of other changes to the way our government conducts its business.
I don't think the protests in Wisconsin, or the tactics currently being used by the Democratic legislators, are likely to go away any time soon, and I fully expect to see similar episodes of this type elsewhere in the nation. Too bad clearer heads can't prevail so we can come up with some workable solutions to our problems!
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