I was somewhat amused at former governor Blagojevich's closing statement during his impeachment trial. It seemed that his argument against the proceedings was, "well everyone else does it, why are you picking on me?"
Come now, most of us figured out that argument doesn't work by the time we left our pre-teens. I was especially interested in his questioning "what sort of message will this send to other governors and politicians?"
Well, hopefully sir, the message they take from it is DON'T ENGAGE IN ILLEGAL OR UNETHICAL ACTIVITIES! You are in public office because we put you there, if you abuse that, we are watching and you will be taken to task for your actions if they are found to be improper.
Also prominent in the news is our President's scolding of corporate CEO's for accepting huge bonuses as their companies are failing and looking for government handouts. Good for you, Mister President! It's about time that someone in a position to do something about such things stood up for what is right. I won't be at all surprised if those CEOs are echoing Mr. Blagojevich's cry of "why me?" Maybe they should consider themselves lucky that they aren't yet being subject to worse treatment.
The French found an effective (if brutal) way of dealing with those who abuse their positions of power and entitlement just a few hundred years ago. I think our country will likely show a bit more restraint than guillotining those who grow rich while squandering the money of those who have supported them in the past, but I think they had best start doing what is right while they still have the opportunity.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sulk 'til you get your way
So, President Obama's economic stimulus package has passed in the house and now goes to the senate. I am more than a bit troubled by the fact that not a single republican voted to approve it. Are they just sulking and refusing to play now that they no longer get to make some of the rules?
If that is the case, I suggest they GET OVER IT, and pretty damn quickly. If they are missing the ground they have lost in the last few elections, just keep acting against the interests of the voters who put you in your jobs. I think the voting public has made it pretty clear at this point that they are sick of business as usual in Washington.
Watch your Sesame Street, guys and gals, that co-operation thing they talk about will get you a lot further in the long run than sitting in the corner sulking.
If that is the case, I suggest they GET OVER IT, and pretty damn quickly. If they are missing the ground they have lost in the last few elections, just keep acting against the interests of the voters who put you in your jobs. I think the voting public has made it pretty clear at this point that they are sick of business as usual in Washington.
Watch your Sesame Street, guys and gals, that co-operation thing they talk about will get you a lot further in the long run than sitting in the corner sulking.
Friday, January 23, 2009
We Got Rights
In the news lately, with some frequency, the subject of cell phones being used while driving has come up. Legislators are considering laws all over the country to ban texting or talking on the phone while driving.
I was watching the evening news and they were asking the public their opinion on the matter. The one that stuck out was one woman who opined, "They can't do that. This ain't Russia! We got rights!" I imagine she is one of the people who nearly hit me (or at least certainly someone who was unfortunate enough to cross her path) in traffic over the last few years. I can't count the number of times this has happened to or near me, usually by someone who is so oblivious to their surroundings that they are not even aware of their near mishap.
Yes, she is right, we got rights. Too many people, however, have yet to mature to the point of realizing that they are NOT, in fact, the center of the universe. Yeah, you got rights, until they infringe on someone else's, then we have a problem.
People like this are everywhere. When not driving around talking on their phones, you may have seen them in the grocery store. They are the ones who stepped in front of you while you were looking at the items on the shelf, and stood there in your way without so much as an excuse me. Common courtesy? Not necessary 'cuz they got rights!
Look at the piles of leftover food and empty wrappers in the campus center during the day. In spite of strategically placed trash cans scattered amongst the tables, many cannot be bothered with such menial tasks. You know why.
Now I'm going to shift back to the topic of my first posting for a bit. How could some of these people be expected to learn any more manners than the average stray dog? If you come from a home where both parents work fulltime, there may have been no-one there to tell you how civilized people behave. With prices these days and double the minimum wage barely adequate to pay the bills and have a moment to catch your breath, what chance is there that the situation will improve for the average working class family?
Its high time we got our country back from the banks so we could work on the little things that make our lives a little easier like manners and civility. After all, we got rights.
I was watching the evening news and they were asking the public their opinion on the matter. The one that stuck out was one woman who opined, "They can't do that. This ain't Russia! We got rights!" I imagine she is one of the people who nearly hit me (or at least certainly someone who was unfortunate enough to cross her path) in traffic over the last few years. I can't count the number of times this has happened to or near me, usually by someone who is so oblivious to their surroundings that they are not even aware of their near mishap.
Yes, she is right, we got rights. Too many people, however, have yet to mature to the point of realizing that they are NOT, in fact, the center of the universe. Yeah, you got rights, until they infringe on someone else's, then we have a problem.
People like this are everywhere. When not driving around talking on their phones, you may have seen them in the grocery store. They are the ones who stepped in front of you while you were looking at the items on the shelf, and stood there in your way without so much as an excuse me. Common courtesy? Not necessary 'cuz they got rights!
Look at the piles of leftover food and empty wrappers in the campus center during the day. In spite of strategically placed trash cans scattered amongst the tables, many cannot be bothered with such menial tasks. You know why.
Now I'm going to shift back to the topic of my first posting for a bit. How could some of these people be expected to learn any more manners than the average stray dog? If you come from a home where both parents work fulltime, there may have been no-one there to tell you how civilized people behave. With prices these days and double the minimum wage barely adequate to pay the bills and have a moment to catch your breath, what chance is there that the situation will improve for the average working class family?
Its high time we got our country back from the banks so we could work on the little things that make our lives a little easier like manners and civility. After all, we got rights.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
I will be using this space to, well, rant I suppose. I am a non-traditional college sophomore starting over after years as a D.J. in so called gentlemen's clubs. I'm very glad to be out of the business, and hope that I can find some measure of success in my new line, journalism.
Right now the biggest obstacle I face is financial. I have to say that I am rather thoroughly disgusted with the government bail-out of various automakers and such. While I am forced to decide whether to buy a required text book or pay the electric bill because additional educational loans are not available to me, companies like GM that have been mis-managed for years are getting billions from our government? How many students would that put through school?
How many of you reading this are familiar with the current prices of college textbooks? $95 for a SOFTCOVER book that will be used for a bit over 3 months. The bookstore will then graciously buy it back for perhaps $15 dollars or so. Gee, thanks. With prices like that, how does anyone wonder why so many Americans are functionally illiterate?
Being a collge student means having to work an irregular schedule, with limited hours, usually at minimum wage or only slightly better. The current minimum wage is a joke. For a 40 hour week at minimum wage you earn $290 before taxes. After taxes are taken out, you bring home a little over $200. A whole $200 seems like a pretty good amount, in 1986.
I live in a small apartment, one of the cheaper ones available in the area.Rent is $550 a month. At minimum wage, it takes most of 3 weeks pay just to cover rent. Add in the cost of electricity and a phone and you are lucky to have $150 a month to buy groceries and cover any other expense that comes up.
I am holding on, waiting and hoping that President Obama's inauguration will truly begin a new era of hope and prosperity to our country. If nothing else, I thank God he is not another Bush.
Right now the biggest obstacle I face is financial. I have to say that I am rather thoroughly disgusted with the government bail-out of various automakers and such. While I am forced to decide whether to buy a required text book or pay the electric bill because additional educational loans are not available to me, companies like GM that have been mis-managed for years are getting billions from our government? How many students would that put through school?
How many of you reading this are familiar with the current prices of college textbooks? $95 for a SOFTCOVER book that will be used for a bit over 3 months. The bookstore will then graciously buy it back for perhaps $15 dollars or so. Gee, thanks. With prices like that, how does anyone wonder why so many Americans are functionally illiterate?
Being a collge student means having to work an irregular schedule, with limited hours, usually at minimum wage or only slightly better. The current minimum wage is a joke. For a 40 hour week at minimum wage you earn $290 before taxes. After taxes are taken out, you bring home a little over $200. A whole $200 seems like a pretty good amount, in 1986.
I live in a small apartment, one of the cheaper ones available in the area.Rent is $550 a month. At minimum wage, it takes most of 3 weeks pay just to cover rent. Add in the cost of electricity and a phone and you are lucky to have $150 a month to buy groceries and cover any other expense that comes up.
I am holding on, waiting and hoping that President Obama's inauguration will truly begin a new era of hope and prosperity to our country. If nothing else, I thank God he is not another Bush.
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