Inciting Racism

Another article read that can do nothing but incite problems.

The first article I saw when I opened up my Yahoo browser today was "Bill O'Reilly says 'the left wants power taken away from the white establishment'".

This is not what America is supposed to be!  The article was bad enough to incite anger, but the comments ... is this really how the far right feels?  That females, non-whites, non-Christians are a problem, that we should all bow down to the white male Christian?

I know many people who are on the right, and I've never heard such bologna from any of them.  Is this words that they are afraid to say?  I truly would hope not.

Guess what?  This country was built on the backs of immigrants, women, and minorities, all of whom have contributed to this country.  There should be no question that they deserve just as much of a say in what makes this country as anyone else.

In 2008, when the presidential race was Romney vs. Obama, I was excited.  Want to know why?  Because, I truly believed we had come so far as a country.  I believed that, for once, that the race was putting aside religion and race, and that we would be able to look at the actual policies and principals of the individuals.  At first, after the 2008 election, it looked like that was true.  But, as the years went on, I heard more about race and religious issues than I had ever heard in my adult life.  Now, it seems that race is becoming an even bigger issue, and it's one that makes me fearful for my friends and neighbors.  I will continue to raise my children that there people are people regardless of color of their skin or the house of worship they attend.  I will not succumb to this racist anger that is being perpetrated.

If this far right that is now to be in charge of this fine country of ours wants to accomplish anything, then the first thing that has to happen is address this part of their constituency.  To address the fact that yes, there is white privileged, and find ways to ensure that all people in this country are represented.  I truly hope that this is not how Mr. Trump feels.  I fear that it may be, but I still have hope that as he faces the responsibilities of being president and representative of such a diverse country that he will look and see the accomplishments of it, and will see the injustices that have been carried out.

Move On E-mail

I received an e-mail, one like so many others I've received in the past.  You see, I joined MoveOn.org several years ago and signed a petition on something I felt strongly about.  Since then, I've signed several positions.  I don't sign everyone that I see, some are for things I believe in, and if it is something I strongly believe in and have done my homework on, I will may just add my name.  

Today's e-mail though bothered me.  It was soliciting funds.  No big deal, they do it all the time.  Usually, I ignore these solicitations.  But, something caught my eye.  ...

 
I like MoveOn, I like that it brings to the surface many different and worthwhile issues that in our busy lives we may overlook.  But, I do not like this.  It raised my emotions, as it was meant to do.

So, I did what I always try to do.  I tried to double check this, and it wasn't easy.  In fact, I had trouble finding Mr. Trump's direct attacks on MoveOn.  Now, supporters, that's a different matter, but I can't always blame him for what his supporters do.

The best I could do was find a quote from March 2016 after Mr. Trump cancelled a rally in Chicago:

What they've done really on the other side - it was MoveOn.org or other groups - these are bad groups, bad groups.  These are bad people.  Let me tell you... These are people who really don't want to see our country be great again, let me tell you.

This was almost a year ago, before Mr. Trump was even the Republican candidate, much less President-Elect.

I'd like to say to Mr. Trump, we are part of this country and also very much wish our country to be great.  In fact, many of us still think it is a great country.  It has it's flaws, but all in all, it's pretty darn great.

But, I digress...

I don't appreciate that Mr. Trump had something negative to say about a group that I do find can be worthwhile.  I don't always agree with the petitions, but a big part of them is bringing the issues to light for me.  To make me question the big picture and the little picture together.

I hope that Mr. Trump has changed his mind about MoveOn.org.  It may take his supporters longer to unless he leads them by saying something directly.  I don't see that right now he has any real reason to do that, but it may happen one day.

In the meantime, just as I am calling on Trump supporters to stop the name-calling, I'm asking that of those who did not support him.  Henchmen is a strong word, and one that should not be used lightly in connection with our president-elect.

Thanks,
Pumpkin

The Christmas Tree - Put the Blame in the Right Place

I read the title, as I'm so sure so many other people did "Alabama official apologizes for chopping public park tree for Trump rally".  My first impression was one of those moments, where you immediately want to judge someone, and, that would be Mr. Trump.

But, this wasn't him.  Oh, I'm sure he would have wanted a "big" tree, the "biggest".  But, it wasn't Mr. Trump who took an old beautiful tree from public land and used.  It was the town's mayor's aide.  You could probably go farther down the totem pole, but that's who made the decision.

As much as I will be watching his decisions and what is going on, just as I watch other public officials.  This one, though, we can't and shouldn't blame on him.

It's a prime example of the slant that our media takes in so much.  The words were chosen to make an impact before even one word of the article was read.

It's a time for vigilance.  Read and check facts.  The title will draw you in, they need us the reader to open the article and be engaged.

So, as the year winds up, and the new year begins, we will be seeing more and more of this.  Keep your eyes and minds open.

Political Pissy Moment

Political pissy moment... (don't read unless you understand this is just a vent) ... So, seems so many people think that the less populated areas should have the say over more populated areas and for urban dwellers to shut up... do you want to take aware our voice completely?

Today, the electoral college meets in just over a hour. They will vote Mr. Trump into office, I have no illusions about this.

What is bugging at me is this ... stop it! Just stop it! Just because someone voted against him, does not make them a snowflake. Stop your fake news stories! Stop tromping all over anyone you perceive as liberal just because they say something you don't agree with.

Guess what? You weren't all quiet these last 8 years. We all heard you loud and clear. I heard when our president was made fun of with foul jokes and memes. I heard you when you called for action and laughed that we should go a year when a supreme court justice died, because you didn't want anyone who may possibly have any liberal leanings in position. We heard you. We heard you and that's why so many people are pissed off right now.

Because you were shouting at us all. You were shouting at everyone who didn't agree with you and acting like spoiled brats. Now you are accusing us of the same if we so much as open our mouths.

Guess what? I don't like the idea of Trump as president. I feel he has too many complicated conflicts of interest. I don't like his choices of big business leaders for cabinet positions. I don't like his moral values AT ALL. I don't like how he talks to women. I don't like how he disrespects our allies. I find him wishy washy. The way he speaks is a white American version of ebonics. Both are equally disgusting to hear of someone who is supposed to be representing this great diverse country. I just don't like him. He may do some good things, and he may do some bad things. Right now, I'm not seeing much hope with his idea of "draining the swamp". This draining of the swamp is putting people in seriously important positions for the purpose of dismantling and undermining the purposes of those government agencies.

I'm not crying about it just because I speak my mind.

I will not throw a toddler style tantrum as too many have over the last 8 years. What I will do is stand up for my fellow Americans - all of them.

I am a moderate. I am middle of the road. I have pretty much an equal amount of "conservative" views as "liberal" ones. And, why in tarnations, is conservation and being "green" a "liberal" view? I learned how to be green from some of the most conservative people around.

I look for the truth in the news, and I suggest everyone else does. Stop believing everything you read or hear. Most of it has a slant to it. News is no longer news, it's now entertainment, it's about getting the most views and making money for the company.

And, if you don't agree with what is going on, speak up. I don't care if you are Republican, Democrat, Independent, or something else. If we all don't speak up, we will never be heard.

And, let this be a reminder to everyone. We are NOT a democracy. This is a Republic. Also, this is a capitalist society. And, right now, the capitalist part is being heard loud and clear. We are in for a ride for the next 4 years, it may be good for some, but it's also going to be hard going for a lot of people. I, for one, predict, that people will have to face up to the fact that capitalism won out this election, and the people will speak with their votes in 4 years. In the meantime, bunker down, stick together, AND remember, that conservative or liberal neighbor of yours, is also an American, and their views are just as important. Give them a hug, send them a Christmas card, but don't insult them, don't demean them. That is not what we are about.

Rant over... for now.

Saying Goodbye to the "Safe" Government Job

As part of the private sector, I've joked for years that if I had it to do all over again, I would have gotten a "safe government job" like my dad told me to.  Instead, I went to for the job in the private sector.  Don't get me wrong, I love what I do every day.  But, I haven't loved watching as benefits have eroded over the years and employee value has steadily decreased.

As the private sector has watched these things happen, those in government positions have held a safety blanket around their positions.  As described in the Washington Post article, "Trump has a plan for government workers.  They're not going to like it", all this could change under President-elect Trump.

Some people will argue that wages for a government job are often less than those of similar position in the private sector and that the benefits are to offset this.  I argue that though that was once the case, it often is not anymore.

As an example, according to Federalpay.org, the average receptionist salary in 2015 for a government employee was $34,434.86, while the national average in 2016 according to Glassdoor was only $24,800.  Over half of private sector employers do not offer health insurance and few if any benefits.  This is a fact of life for much of our country.  To be fair, a position with more schooling such as a pharmacist has an average salary in 2015 for a government employee of $113,926.96 whereas the national average in the private sector was $120,000.

The hit by the recession was felt hard in the private sector as jobs eroded and benefits disappeared.  I am not advocating that they should be completely equal, it is much more difficult to get a government position than a private sector one.  Often times, it also requires security clearances, these things should be taken into account.

However, if the country is going to slim down the federal government and bureaucracy, then making the federal employee benefits more in line with what is now considered competitive in the private sector is something that will have to come.

Many of the benefits for federal government employees are not going anywhere.  They are not at risk of losing their health benefits as many private sector employees have.  Nor, are they going to lose benefits such as leave.  There is little wiggle room with federal benefits to make changes.

But, Mr. Trump isn't just talking about benefits though.  In fact, one of the things he is also talking about is the ability to fire a federal employee.  This can be a tricky slope, and maybe, just maybe, this is one place that the man known for "You're fired" could be person to make it happen.  Employees no matter who they work for should be held accountable for doing the job they are hired to do.  If they don't, then they either need to buck up and do it, or find something else.

Don't be surprised if Mr. Trump puts a hiring freeze, or at least a limit to new hiring, into effect when he comes into office.  I won't be.  And, there is ample precedent to do just that.  Once he is in office and is able to see for himself, we shall see how it turns out.  His hands on approach may help him here.  He has run his companies with a heavy hand at times, now there will be limits on what he can do.  He won't be able to walk in and fire someone if he doesn't like their attitude or even if they are sitting idle at their desk, but he will be able to help craft a budget or act to put things in place to take care of things.

We can only hope that Mr. Trump uses his experience to review, evaluate and take the right action when it comes to the workplace.  I hope he understands that these employees have often never dealt with what it is like to work in the private sector just as he has never known what it is like to be a federal employee.  It's going to be a learning curve for everyone.

ObamaCare - A Personal Note

Completing my annual healthcare.gov application. For those of you who are against ObamaCare, just remember. It's because of ObamaCare that many people in this country have insurance coverage. Not every job offers insurance. Not everyone can afford a plan on their own. Without insurance, if I were to get sick, I would become a much bigger burden on society than any amount of "subsidy" that I may receive for my healthcare plan.

Actually, let's get even a bit more personal. Without ObamaCare, I would be a danger to drive, I would become a drag on society, I would be practically blind. With ObamaCare, I was able to get the much needed surgery to restore my eyesight. It wasn't an elective procedure, I was quickly losing my sight. In less than a year, I had gone from 20/375 eyesight to over 20/1000 eyesight and it was continuing to decline rapidly.

No, I don't like the uptick on the premiums. Yes, I wish there was a better option. But, if you are going to yell and scream about how bad it is, or that people need to get a job, keep in mind, most of us have jobs. I have a job, it doesn't pay decent, but I have not been able to find another one in my field in this area.

I work. I pay taxes. I am a contributing member of society. I have ObamaCare. And, I am not a slacker.

Upset in the Electoral College

Ah, do I have your attention now?

Yes, technically, the electoral college could elect Clinton as our next president.  Don't believe me, even I wasn't sure that was true.  So, I did a little research.  In a resent article on Fact Check, "Could Electoral College Elect Clinton?" explains just how this could happen.

However, I do not believe it should happen.  Regardless of how I may feel personally about President-elect Trump, he is our next president.  Our system is not perfect, but it is our system for a variety of reasons.  If we do not like it, then, we have an obligation to reach out to our individual states and look for new solutions.  If we are going to complain about the unfairness of the electoral college, then we need to do more than spout out words on FaceBook or post memes on Twitter.  Don't like it, neither do I, but let's do something about it then.

I've had a few lively discussions lately about the Electoral College.  I've heard both sides of the fence on this.  Mostly, I've heard people who are upset with Trump's win wanting to abolish it.  That is not going to happen.  The groundwork of our Electoral College was laid down in the 2nd article of the Constitution.  But, the Electoral College as we know it was refined by the 12th Amendment.

There have been more proposals set forth to amend the 12th amendment than any other constitutional amendment.  Constitutional amendments are the pulse of our changing nation of our attitudes and values.  They reflect how society and this country has matured over the past couple hundred years.  A search of the U.S. Congress website for legislation proposed regarding "electoral" representatives or college resulted in over 1,500 hits.  That's a lot, and it's going to take me awhile to sort through them all to get to the heart of it.  Even so, it is evident that this is not a Democrat v. Republican issue.  The issues have been brought up by both sides at different times.

In 1987, the American Bar Association has criticized the Electoral College as being "archaic" and "ambiguous".  Wow.  That's all I have to say, just "wow".  This particular reference I am still reviewing and researching.  One article of particular interest in 1996, by Joel Goldstein for the American Bar Association Division of Public Education, entitled "Electoral College Is it a dinosaur that should be abolished or a last bastion of democracy?" made some interesting points both for and against the current system.

One of the predominant reasons I have been hearing in support of the Electoral College is that it gives those states with a lower population a say in the elected President.  I agree that it does.  In the early 1900s, that proportional weight was not so great.  The Midwest and many parts of this country was filled with family farms and small towns.  Today, many small towns have all but disappeared and the family farm has lost way to massive conglomerate operations.  Many of those displaced from the rural areas have moved to the cities.  They have brought their values with them.  At the same time, the population of the urban and suburban areas has increased drastically.  Suburbia did not exist as we know it in the 1800s, or even the early 1900s.  It is a creation of our modern times.  As the population of our country increases, the proportional weight of less populous states will carry more and more weight in the election of our President, it will become the rural "gentry" and the country "gentleman" who will make the decision for the country.

I don't see the electoral college being abolished.  I do not see an amendment occurring to the 12th amendment.  That does not mean hope is lost!

We have a chance now to make our voices heard for the coming years.  The upset about the electoral college is not going to happen because of petitions trying to convince an electoral college to change their mind.  It should not, it is part of our democratic procedure.  That doesn't mean that we need to sit by idly and not move for a change.  Do your homework, find out who in your state executive you can contact and what you can do to make a change.  The change will not happen at the federal level, this is a change that needs to happen at a state level.

Let's make our voices by heard.