Recently an Illinois woman realized her dream of winning that state’s lottery. With nearly one million dollars in hand after taxes, did this woman perhaps quit her job to indulge in a carefree life of pleasure? No she did not. It turns out that she had no job to quit. She was in fact on the public welfare roll in the state of Illinois, receiving food assistance in the amount of $200 each month, among other entitlements. After taxes, Amanda Clayton still came out with over $700,000. So maybe she had no job to quit, but at least she got off the public welfare rolls, right? Umm…no, she did not, and has not.
This is at least the second incidence of an Illinois Lottery winner being on state welfare rolls. And as outrageous as it seems, there are no provisions in Illinois law requiring lottery winners to be removed from such entitlement programs. Apparently this loophole exists in most other states’ laws as well. Illinois law DOES require welfare recipients to report any changes in their income or financial status, but, in this case, state officials rather candidly pointed out that welfare agencies rarely take affirmative steps to monitor recipients for unreported changes in status. In other words, it is Ms. Clayton’s responsibility as a good citizen to report her good fortune to the powers that be. Not surprisingly, however, Ms. Clayton is in no hurry to revise her welfare status.
A reporter caught up with Ms. Clayton outside her home (I mean ONE of her homes) and asked her questions along the line of why she was still in the welfare program now that she was a wealthy lottery winner. He specifically asked her if she still felt entitled to her welfare benefits, to which Ms. Clayton replied, “I kind of do.” She went on to say, “I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn’t, I thought maybe it was OK because I’m not working. I feel that it’s OK since I have no income and I have bills to pay. I have two houses.” (Emphasis mine)
There are a couple of troubling things about Ms. Clayton. First, she appears to continue to have a sense of entitlement. That is, no matter how much money she may receive, whether in a lottery, in some settlement, or maybe just a huge gift from her friends, she has no “income” because she does not “work.” I suppose if she had won one of those “Super Power Ball” lotteries, with prizes in the triple digit millions, she would still have no “income.”
At the same time, we are all left to wonder why she does not work. I am trying to be non-judgmental here. Maybe she has some handicap. Maybe she is taking care of her mother, who apparently resides with her. Whatever the case, Ms. Clayton does not “work.” So, in spite of having over half a million dollars, Ms. Clayton is so concerned about her ability to buy food that she still needs the $200 food entitlement. I guess that if she went grocery shopping and accidentally spent $700,001, she should certainly be able to depend on her state dole to pay the extra dollar.
The other troubling thing about Ms. Clayton is that she gives one the impression that she will probably not go out of her way to make sure that the Illinois welfare agency knows she won the lottery. This may be a moot point, however, since the entire nation is now aware of her recent good fortune. But remember, the Illinois state welfare official already let us know that his agency would not make much of an effort to find out if any particular welfare recipient’s financial condition had changed. If the welfare office does not update Ms. Clayton’s financial status, would she do the right thing on her own? Would she voluntarily have herself removed from the Illinois welfare tab? Should she do so?
I have to admit that my first reaction was, “Of course she should report her new found wealth immediately, and ask that she be removed from the welfare rolls.” But upon thinking it over a little more calmly, I could see that it might be proper to consider all Ms. Clayton’s financial and social circumstances before making such a judgment. The Illinois Legislature apparently thinks so as well. They are working on a bill at the moment that would provide for the examination of any welfare recipient’s eligibility for continued entitlements should that person win any lottery prize worth over one thousand dollars. This is a step in the right direction, although the bill has been pending for over a year now. By the way, why is a welfare recipient playing the lottery in the first place? That is a subject for another blog.
Let us presume that a welfare recipient somehow had the means to play the lottery at other than taxpayer expense. If the person won $1,000 or even $5,000, chances are slim that this in itself would be enough to end the person’s need for (or dependence on) the welfare dole. On the other hand, a person who won a large prize, such as a $1,000,000 super-prize, should probably be taken off the welfare rolls. I suppose an exception would be if the winner owed $1,000,000 in medical bills or some other expense. If the person were legally obligated to pay off the debt with lottery winnings, that person would still essentially be “broke” and therefore still eligible for welfare even though technically a “millionaire.”
It is inevitable that a welfare recipient will win the lottery again in one state or another. While it may be that we could depend on most lottery winners to voluntarily update their status with their respective welfare agencies, there would still be some who would “omit” their status update. For these people, a system of cross-checking lottery winners with welfare recipients would insure that they were caught and charged with welfare fraud. They could then use their lottery winnings to pay for their criminal defense, thus saving taxpayer money that would have been expended for that purpose.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
After Fifty - Living Dangerously
In July of last year, my fiftieth birthday came and went, actually with relatively little fanfare. Unlike the immanent 12/21/12, the world did not end on my birthday. I did not even get the usual black party or "over the hill" bash. Basically, nothing happened. Actually, though, something DID happen. I began to live dangerously. As my daughter said, "Gee, Dad, you've made FIFTY! You've beaten the odds!" We were discussing motorcycles at the time, and Child B (the daughter) was trying to encourage me to learn to ride a motorcycle. And, oddly enough, I AM seriously considering it! But today I have done what must surely be one of the most dangerous things a man can do. You would think at fifty I would know better, that I should have learned over the two decades of marriage. Not me!
Yesterday my lovely bride told me she was getting a haircut today. She wanted to get her hair "cut off." So today, after work, I drove home eager 1) to see my spouse's lovely new haircut, and 2) to depart for Tampico, one of the better Mexican food restaurants in the Midland area. Just as I pulled into the drive, I saw my son (Child A) walking toward our residence. I joined him and we both entered my residence together. There, seated on the couch, was my lovely bride and her new...er, um. I told her, "Lovely Bride, you did not get your hair cut after all!" My spouse said, "What?! I DID GET A NEW HAIRCUT!" Like I said, having turned fifty, I really DO like living dangerously!
Child A, standing a few feet away, was already looking at me as if I were a distant but cherished memory. He is not even thirty and HE knew I was now in the DANGER ZONE. Thinking rather quickly for a fifty-year-old I said "Oh, Lovely Bride, they did your cut so well you can't even tell you've HAD a haircut." The LAZER-EYES (as discussed in an earlier blog) were pointed in my direction, boring holes through my skull. Child A, standing a few feet away, continued to stare at me as if I were a distant but cherished memory. Thinking quickly again, I said, "Tampico?" I was quickly out the door before Lazer Eyes could do any further damage.
Needless to say, the evening had a happy ending (else I would not now be writing these words). Yes, we went to Tampico, with Child A in tow. The Lazer Eyes were extinguished with a Tampico special Margarita and some good food a la the Botano Platter. It was a great meal, and there was lots of laughter thanks to Child A's witty sense of humor. The great meal was topped off by a stop at the local TCBY parlor, then home again. With more quick thinking, I made numerous observations concerning the loveliness of my Lovely Bride's new hairdo. I think that the combination of my silver tongue and the spouse's frozen Margarita won the day. Now Child A is gone to his abode, and I am seated on the couch with my Lovely ( and somewhat mellowed) Bride. She has a new hairdo and I am really enjoying my Year of Living Dangerously.
Yesterday my lovely bride told me she was getting a haircut today. She wanted to get her hair "cut off." So today, after work, I drove home eager 1) to see my spouse's lovely new haircut, and 2) to depart for Tampico, one of the better Mexican food restaurants in the Midland area. Just as I pulled into the drive, I saw my son (Child A) walking toward our residence. I joined him and we both entered my residence together. There, seated on the couch, was my lovely bride and her new...er, um. I told her, "Lovely Bride, you did not get your hair cut after all!" My spouse said, "What?! I DID GET A NEW HAIRCUT!" Like I said, having turned fifty, I really DO like living dangerously!
Child A, standing a few feet away, was already looking at me as if I were a distant but cherished memory. He is not even thirty and HE knew I was now in the DANGER ZONE. Thinking rather quickly for a fifty-year-old I said "Oh, Lovely Bride, they did your cut so well you can't even tell you've HAD a haircut." The LAZER-EYES (as discussed in an earlier blog) were pointed in my direction, boring holes through my skull. Child A, standing a few feet away, continued to stare at me as if I were a distant but cherished memory. Thinking quickly again, I said, "Tampico?" I was quickly out the door before Lazer Eyes could do any further damage.
Needless to say, the evening had a happy ending (else I would not now be writing these words). Yes, we went to Tampico, with Child A in tow. The Lazer Eyes were extinguished with a Tampico special Margarita and some good food a la the Botano Platter. It was a great meal, and there was lots of laughter thanks to Child A's witty sense of humor. The great meal was topped off by a stop at the local TCBY parlor, then home again. With more quick thinking, I made numerous observations concerning the loveliness of my Lovely Bride's new hairdo. I think that the combination of my silver tongue and the spouse's frozen Margarita won the day. Now Child A is gone to his abode, and I am seated on the couch with my Lovely ( and somewhat mellowed) Bride. She has a new hairdo and I am really enjoying my Year of Living Dangerously.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Leap Day - Part Two
Yesterday was Leap Day for 2012. I hope you had a great one and did something special. In Midland, Texas seven babies were born on this day. One of the parents already said he is going to count his daughter’s age only by Leap Years. When his daughter thinks she is sixteen and wants to drive the family care, Daddy will tell her that she has only had four birthdays and therefore is too young to drive the car, and particularly too young to date. Personally I am not holding my breath for that one. I suspect that this young lady will have had several boyfriends and a couple of speeding tickets by the time she reaches her “fourth” birthday.
Actually I have been thinking about some modern uses for Leap Day, and I believe I have come up with some good things that could be done on Leap Day every Leap Year. First, why pay federal income tax every single year? Just think of the administrative costs that could be saved if taxes had to be filed each LEAP DAY. I can hear the IRS screaming now. It’s just a thought!
For school students, why not decree that those children must take the TAKS each and every February 29th? Along with that decree would be the requirement that teachers could only begin “preparing” the students for their test six months before the upcoming Leap Day test. Wouldn’t it be great if students could actually “learn” for at least three out of every four years?
What about the United States presidential election? Yes, I know it already occurs during each Leap Year, but I would like to add a new twist. Instead of the seemingly endless campaigning, with the associated huge political contributions and accompanying cronyism, I submit to you that we should limit the presidential campaign to only the months of January and February of each election year. In January the candidates could campaign until the 15th of the month. The remainder of the month would be dedicated to primary elections. In Leap February, the winners of the primaries would have another five days to make their final campaign appearances. The election would then be held. The results of the election would be vetted by the fifteenth day of February, leaving our new president another two weeks to be briefed and “brought up to speed” by inauguration day, Leap Day!
These ideas of mine for a better use of Leap Day are “tongue in cheek” ideas, but really only half so. I am somewhat serious as I write this blog. Why not just one scholastic achievement test, if such a test is needed at all? After all, students must pass tests and otherwise prove they have gained the required knowledge at many points during each school year. As to students who have NOT achieved passing levels, THAT is already known too, AND without the need for a separate (and federally mandated) achievement test. As to national elections, why should we be forced to endure (and finance!) two years of presidential campaigns? Again, I am sure many people would love to see the campaign season whittled down very drastically. As to income tax only every fourth year, do not hold your breath for that one. Income taxes will be an annual requirement for years to come, as long as there is a United States of America.
Thanks, everyone, and have a happy Leap Year!
Actually I have been thinking about some modern uses for Leap Day, and I believe I have come up with some good things that could be done on Leap Day every Leap Year. First, why pay federal income tax every single year? Just think of the administrative costs that could be saved if taxes had to be filed each LEAP DAY. I can hear the IRS screaming now. It’s just a thought!
For school students, why not decree that those children must take the TAKS each and every February 29th? Along with that decree would be the requirement that teachers could only begin “preparing” the students for their test six months before the upcoming Leap Day test. Wouldn’t it be great if students could actually “learn” for at least three out of every four years?
What about the United States presidential election? Yes, I know it already occurs during each Leap Year, but I would like to add a new twist. Instead of the seemingly endless campaigning, with the associated huge political contributions and accompanying cronyism, I submit to you that we should limit the presidential campaign to only the months of January and February of each election year. In January the candidates could campaign until the 15th of the month. The remainder of the month would be dedicated to primary elections. In Leap February, the winners of the primaries would have another five days to make their final campaign appearances. The election would then be held. The results of the election would be vetted by the fifteenth day of February, leaving our new president another two weeks to be briefed and “brought up to speed” by inauguration day, Leap Day!
These ideas of mine for a better use of Leap Day are “tongue in cheek” ideas, but really only half so. I am somewhat serious as I write this blog. Why not just one scholastic achievement test, if such a test is needed at all? After all, students must pass tests and otherwise prove they have gained the required knowledge at many points during each school year. As to students who have NOT achieved passing levels, THAT is already known too, AND without the need for a separate (and federally mandated) achievement test. As to national elections, why should we be forced to endure (and finance!) two years of presidential campaigns? Again, I am sure many people would love to see the campaign season whittled down very drastically. As to income tax only every fourth year, do not hold your breath for that one. Income taxes will be an annual requirement for years to come, as long as there is a United States of America.
Thanks, everyone, and have a happy Leap Year!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Leap Day - Part One
One of greatest legacies of the Roman Empire is the Julian Calendar (named of course for that most famous Ceasar), with its division of the year into eleven months of either thirty or thirty-one days, and one month of twenty-eight days. The short month, our February, consisted of twenty-NINE days every four years. But why add another day every four years? The Julian Calendar, while fairly accurate, falls a few minutres behind the solar calendar every year. Not a big deal, unless a few centuries pass. Then ten minutes here or eleven minutes there becomes several days. Over an even longer period of time, as the Julian Calendar falls days or weeks behind, we would eventually experience winter in the middle of July. Just imagine going to Schlitterbohn while snow falls and ice begins jamming the Comal River. It would make "tubing" a terrible ordeal.
But don't worry, my fellow lovers of summer; we were saved from such an awful fate several hundred years ago by Pope Gregory XIII. The good Pope realized that the Julian Calendar was accurate enough as far as it went. It just did not go far enough. You see, the Romans were right in adding a Leap Day, but, as I noted earlier, even with the Leap Day added every four years, the Julian Calendar cotinued to fall behind the solar calendar. By the time Ugo Boncompagni was elected to the Papal Office and assumed the name Gregory XIII, the Julian Calendar had fallen ten days out of sync with other calendars in use in Europe and Asia. To correct this inaccuracy Pope Gregory XIII ordered that the date be changed throughout the Catholic empire, and advanced ten days. But Pope Gregory also decreed that there would be no Leap Year in century opening years that were divisible by one hundred. Thus the "Gregorian Calendar" was created and eventually became the official calendar for most of the world. Obviously some segments of the world population did not adopt the Gregorian Calendar. Muslims, Hebrews, as well as many "uncivilized" societies, continued to use their own calendars or other means of reckoning the changing seasons.
So we see that if it were not for that somewhat nutty invention we call Leap Year, we might be heading to Angel Fire or Cloudcroft in the middle of July to get in some good skiing time. Maybe you know someone who was born on February 29th. That person never gets tired of reminding you that while you are fifty going on sixty-three, he or she, on the other hand, is only twelve and a half years old. Of course children born on Leap Day do not appreciate a birthday party only once every four years. Most parents of such children elect to let the child pick another day to on which to celebrate his birth and get a whole new year's supply of toys.
Now that I have entertained you with several factoids concerning Leap Year and Leap Day, I would like to invite you to read tomorrow's installment of my blog as I write about Leap Day - Part Two. I will make a humorous, yet semi-serious, suggestion as to what would constitute a great use for a day of celebration that only comes round every four years. Until then, take care and have a great Leap Year's Leap Day!
But don't worry, my fellow lovers of summer; we were saved from such an awful fate several hundred years ago by Pope Gregory XIII. The good Pope realized that the Julian Calendar was accurate enough as far as it went. It just did not go far enough. You see, the Romans were right in adding a Leap Day, but, as I noted earlier, even with the Leap Day added every four years, the Julian Calendar cotinued to fall behind the solar calendar. By the time Ugo Boncompagni was elected to the Papal Office and assumed the name Gregory XIII, the Julian Calendar had fallen ten days out of sync with other calendars in use in Europe and Asia. To correct this inaccuracy Pope Gregory XIII ordered that the date be changed throughout the Catholic empire, and advanced ten days. But Pope Gregory also decreed that there would be no Leap Year in century opening years that were divisible by one hundred. Thus the "Gregorian Calendar" was created and eventually became the official calendar for most of the world. Obviously some segments of the world population did not adopt the Gregorian Calendar. Muslims, Hebrews, as well as many "uncivilized" societies, continued to use their own calendars or other means of reckoning the changing seasons.
So we see that if it were not for that somewhat nutty invention we call Leap Year, we might be heading to Angel Fire or Cloudcroft in the middle of July to get in some good skiing time. Maybe you know someone who was born on February 29th. That person never gets tired of reminding you that while you are fifty going on sixty-three, he or she, on the other hand, is only twelve and a half years old. Of course children born on Leap Day do not appreciate a birthday party only once every four years. Most parents of such children elect to let the child pick another day to on which to celebrate his birth and get a whole new year's supply of toys.
Now that I have entertained you with several factoids concerning Leap Year and Leap Day, I would like to invite you to read tomorrow's installment of my blog as I write about Leap Day - Part Two. I will make a humorous, yet semi-serious, suggestion as to what would constitute a great use for a day of celebration that only comes round every four years. Until then, take care and have a great Leap Year's Leap Day!
Monday, February 27, 2012
A Little "Hometown" Wisdom
One of my little pleasures in my spare time is reading my hometown newspaper. It is one of those twice-weekly papers, and the "news" is actually several days old when it appears in the paper. But that is not the point of these "hometown" papers, anyway. Unlike the "big" newspapers that must compete for your business by publishing the most shocking news possible, the hometown papers publish items like "Quilting Circle to Meet at Mrs. Smith's House Tuesday," or "News from Mound" (for those who don't know, Mound is small community outside of Gatesville, Texas, and is located just above "the Flat" and not too far away from "the Grove."). "News" like this would never see the light of day in the New York Times, or even the Waco Tribune-Herald.
Another quaint touch one finds in the old hometown paper are little tidbits of wisdom that somehow work their way each issue. The Gatesville Messenger, for instance, each week features a question from a reader. The question is answered by the appropriate local official, such as the chief of police or the city manager. Just the other day one such question was directed at the county judge. The reader asked who was responsible for cleaning up trash along county roads, and why was there such a "plague" of litter along the roadways? The county judge provided the appropriate answer, but perhaps did not realize how very profound his answer was, given the current situation in which we, as a nation, find ourselves. The judge said simply, "The "plague" is caused by people illegally discarding trash (emphasis mine). Government can never be big enough to solve all the problems (emphasis mine again), and individuals need to take responsibility for doing what's right."
As I read that judge's answer I was again struck by the simple profoundness of his statement, and the way we as a nation, and in particular, our national politicians, have strayed away from these ideals. You see, at the local level our politicians know that local government cannot be "big enough" to solve all the problems in a community, a city, a county, or even a state. At the local level, our politicians know that they are responsible to the people for their actions. City and county officials know that they have to live within their respective budgets. They know that they must represent the people or they will soon be out of office.
At the national level, it seems to be a different story. Many times we, the People, expect "the Government" to be so strong, so powerful, that it can solve every problem known to mankind. We forget sometimes that no government - local or federal - can ever provide complete and total security, total health care, total happiness, or total fulfillment of our dreams. No government can protect or please every one of us at all times. Governments, whether democratic or totalitarian, cannot "solve" every problem that we have, every crisis facing humanity. But governments, when allowed to by the people, can become so large and cumbersome that they take billions of dollars to operate, and intrude in so many aspects of our lives. Government agencies, many created with the best of intentions, seem to feed on themselves, costing ever more to run, demanding ever more power, and going so far beyond their original scope of purpose. These agencies, over the years, become the controllers of the people, instead of the other way around.
I think back to the words of the judge of that rural county, and the wisdom, the profoundness, of his straightforward answer. He said no government can be big enough to solve our problems. What better proof of his statement than our own federal government. The government envisaged by its founders was to be a limited government under the strict control of the people, and brought into existence ONLY TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE, not to dominate every aspect of our lives, while literally draining our lives from us. You see, money is simply a way of saving the results of our work. We work a full day, we make a full wage. And it is only proper to use part of that wage to support our government at all levels. But that very government has grown to monstrous proportions, with power beyond our control, demanding our lives in the form of taxes on our wages. Now we work an average of three months to pay taxes, and only get to keep the remaining nine months' wages for our own. And our federal government constantly demands more, constantly grows, and seems to be out of control.
Remember the words of that county judge? No government can be big enough to solve our problems. In fact, just the opposite is true. The federal government has grown so large and out of control that it IS our problem. It seems that all our efforts to rein in the federal government have failed. New agencies are constantly created. Existing agencies demand AND RECEIVE more power. The president himself circumvents constitutional checks and balances by means of the infamous "executive order." Our government, with each administration, presents the "largest federal budget in history." At the same time, every administration creates larger and larger debt. Giant government, oppressive budgets, and yet we still have so many problems that never get "solved," and in fact seem to get worse each passing day.
Now the time again draws near for another national election. I am not here to tell you how to vote, other than the urge you to study those candidates that you favor and find out how they really stack up on all the issues that concern you. I urge you to continue to demand accountability and fiscal responsibility from your local politicians. More importantly, I urge you to demand the same kind of accountability from your national representatives and your president. I urge you to actually READ the United States Constitution someday, and to understand not only your "rights," but also to understand how our government is supposed to work. Above all I urge you to understand that the government is supposed to be, was intended to be, our servant, NOT OUR MASTER. Finally I urge us all to understand and grasp that, just as we are responsible for not littering or illegally dumping trash, we are also responsible for demanding accountability from our government, including our federal government. We will soon be electing a president and our national representatives. There is no better time than now to begin the process of turning out those politicians, including even the president, who are not truly representing us, and who are sending this nation down the long road of decline and mediocrity that we seem to be traveling at the moment. Let the upcoming election mark the day that we, the People, once again became the master of our government, and not its slaves.
Another quaint touch one finds in the old hometown paper are little tidbits of wisdom that somehow work their way each issue. The Gatesville Messenger, for instance, each week features a question from a reader. The question is answered by the appropriate local official, such as the chief of police or the city manager. Just the other day one such question was directed at the county judge. The reader asked who was responsible for cleaning up trash along county roads, and why was there such a "plague" of litter along the roadways? The county judge provided the appropriate answer, but perhaps did not realize how very profound his answer was, given the current situation in which we, as a nation, find ourselves. The judge said simply, "The "plague" is caused by people illegally discarding trash (emphasis mine). Government can never be big enough to solve all the problems (emphasis mine again), and individuals need to take responsibility for doing what's right."
As I read that judge's answer I was again struck by the simple profoundness of his statement, and the way we as a nation, and in particular, our national politicians, have strayed away from these ideals. You see, at the local level our politicians know that local government cannot be "big enough" to solve all the problems in a community, a city, a county, or even a state. At the local level, our politicians know that they are responsible to the people for their actions. City and county officials know that they have to live within their respective budgets. They know that they must represent the people or they will soon be out of office.
At the national level, it seems to be a different story. Many times we, the People, expect "the Government" to be so strong, so powerful, that it can solve every problem known to mankind. We forget sometimes that no government - local or federal - can ever provide complete and total security, total health care, total happiness, or total fulfillment of our dreams. No government can protect or please every one of us at all times. Governments, whether democratic or totalitarian, cannot "solve" every problem that we have, every crisis facing humanity. But governments, when allowed to by the people, can become so large and cumbersome that they take billions of dollars to operate, and intrude in so many aspects of our lives. Government agencies, many created with the best of intentions, seem to feed on themselves, costing ever more to run, demanding ever more power, and going so far beyond their original scope of purpose. These agencies, over the years, become the controllers of the people, instead of the other way around.
I think back to the words of the judge of that rural county, and the wisdom, the profoundness, of his straightforward answer. He said no government can be big enough to solve our problems. What better proof of his statement than our own federal government. The government envisaged by its founders was to be a limited government under the strict control of the people, and brought into existence ONLY TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE, not to dominate every aspect of our lives, while literally draining our lives from us. You see, money is simply a way of saving the results of our work. We work a full day, we make a full wage. And it is only proper to use part of that wage to support our government at all levels. But that very government has grown to monstrous proportions, with power beyond our control, demanding our lives in the form of taxes on our wages. Now we work an average of three months to pay taxes, and only get to keep the remaining nine months' wages for our own. And our federal government constantly demands more, constantly grows, and seems to be out of control.
Remember the words of that county judge? No government can be big enough to solve our problems. In fact, just the opposite is true. The federal government has grown so large and out of control that it IS our problem. It seems that all our efforts to rein in the federal government have failed. New agencies are constantly created. Existing agencies demand AND RECEIVE more power. The president himself circumvents constitutional checks and balances by means of the infamous "executive order." Our government, with each administration, presents the "largest federal budget in history." At the same time, every administration creates larger and larger debt. Giant government, oppressive budgets, and yet we still have so many problems that never get "solved," and in fact seem to get worse each passing day.
Now the time again draws near for another national election. I am not here to tell you how to vote, other than the urge you to study those candidates that you favor and find out how they really stack up on all the issues that concern you. I urge you to continue to demand accountability and fiscal responsibility from your local politicians. More importantly, I urge you to demand the same kind of accountability from your national representatives and your president. I urge you to actually READ the United States Constitution someday, and to understand not only your "rights," but also to understand how our government is supposed to work. Above all I urge you to understand that the government is supposed to be, was intended to be, our servant, NOT OUR MASTER. Finally I urge us all to understand and grasp that, just as we are responsible for not littering or illegally dumping trash, we are also responsible for demanding accountability from our government, including our federal government. We will soon be electing a president and our national representatives. There is no better time than now to begin the process of turning out those politicians, including even the president, who are not truly representing us, and who are sending this nation down the long road of decline and mediocrity that we seem to be traveling at the moment. Let the upcoming election mark the day that we, the People, once again became the master of our government, and not its slaves.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Our "Transparent" President And The Great Alaskan Islands Giveaway
Today’s blog is intended to do three things. First, I would like to attract the attention of anyone who is fawning for the chance to re-elect President Barack Obama. Second I would like to spread the news to my fellow readers about what our President is planning. Finally, I would like this blog to encourage us all to finally act to stop the illegal give-away of seven Alaskan islands by the President and the Department of State.To all of you who are straining at the bit to get to the polls and re-elect Barack Obama, our most unpatriotic President, I urge you to read the article found at this link:
http://www.worldnewstribune.com/2012/02/20/obama-state-department-set-to-cede-oil-rich-alaska-islands-to-russia/
I have only provided one link, but I assure you that you can simply type this topic into one of the search engines and find hundreds of articles telling of this upcoming event. You will also find links to the documents that detail the secret dealings of “the most transparent presidency in the history of this nation.” Is this the “open,” “transparent” administration that you truly envisioned when you voted for President Obama? He did not bother to mention this “deal” to the people. Coincidentally, neither did ANY of the big news media, including “Faux News,” as many Obama-sheep love to call Fox. Most importantly, though, President Obama neglected to seek Congressional approval of this deal. Surely such a great advocate of “transparency in government” would not have made this omission.
To all of the rest of us who have had to endure the Obama administration’s continued and continual assault on the Constitution of the United States (a document that was once the law of this nation), I have to wonder: Will this latest action on the part of the President finally cause us to open our eyes? Will it finally convince us to get out of our chairs and do all that we can to keep this most unpatriotic and quite secretive President from being re-elected? In fairness to President Obama, I would like to say that there were plenty of “non-transparent” dealings under the Bush administration. On the other hand, Barack Obama, on his huge wave of popularity, promised to have the most open, most transparent government this nation has ever seen. Instead, his administration is one of secret dealings and utter disregard for the Constitution of the United States. Anyone (well, anyone with political clout and several million dollars) can be elected president once. But shame on all of us if THIS President is elected TWICE. In that case, we all surely get what we deserve, and more.
Finally, I would like to appeal to our leaders in Congress to Rise Up and do your job. Do the job that We the People elected you to do, and that we are PAYING you to do. Instead you refuse to STAND UP to this man, truly a wolf in sheep’s garments, and demand that he follow the law of the land, OR TAKE HIM OUT OF OFFICE. DO IT NOW, before he gives the Alaskan islands away, and with it the BILLIONS of barrels of oil on and around those islands. How does giving away this oil and these islands promote “the best interest of America,” Mr. President?
With my appeal to our “leaders,” I also appeal to all of us to demand that Congress rein in this man now. President Obama, who first turned his back on the flag of the nation that elected him, is now turning his back on the Constitution and on the very openness and transparency that he promised ALL of us. It is very easy to contact your political leaders. Each congressman and senator has a web page now, with comment sections. I do not like this method myself, but it is easy to do and takes very little time. Just a short and LOUD email will do. For me, I prefer the old-fashioned, snail-mailed letter approach. I personally believe that regular mail just has more impact. But I come from the pre-email generation, so take this with a grain of salt, as they say.
To all those who elected President Obama, I once again ask you, have you received all the openness and transparency that you were promised? If you think you have, and you want even more, than Obama is your man. If, however, you are somewhat disappointed with what Obama and his administration have become (always WAS, in the case of Hilary Clinton), then I urge you to do this at the next election. I URGE you to stand with the many others who will vote against this man and all he stands for, which, in my opinion, is quite the opposite of all he promised way back in 2007. As I have said before, maybe none of the choices for president we have are “good,” but I believe the worst choice is to let Barack Obama tarnish the office of President of the United States any further than he has so far managed to do.
PS: I have not even mentioned the much UN-heralded missile technology give-away that Obama has orchestrated. The give-away of the Alaskan Islands, with all their oil, and without Congressional approval, is an impeachable action. I think the missile technology deals with Russia are impeachable as well, but in fairness to Mr. Obama, if Bill Clinton was not impeached and removed for doing the same thing with China, I guess we have to forgive Mr. Obama, too.
http://www.worldnewstribune.com/2012/02/20/obama-state-department-set-to-cede-oil-rich-alaska-islands-to-russia/
I have only provided one link, but I assure you that you can simply type this topic into one of the search engines and find hundreds of articles telling of this upcoming event. You will also find links to the documents that detail the secret dealings of “the most transparent presidency in the history of this nation.” Is this the “open,” “transparent” administration that you truly envisioned when you voted for President Obama? He did not bother to mention this “deal” to the people. Coincidentally, neither did ANY of the big news media, including “Faux News,” as many Obama-sheep love to call Fox. Most importantly, though, President Obama neglected to seek Congressional approval of this deal. Surely such a great advocate of “transparency in government” would not have made this omission.
To all of the rest of us who have had to endure the Obama administration’s continued and continual assault on the Constitution of the United States (a document that was once the law of this nation), I have to wonder: Will this latest action on the part of the President finally cause us to open our eyes? Will it finally convince us to get out of our chairs and do all that we can to keep this most unpatriotic and quite secretive President from being re-elected? In fairness to President Obama, I would like to say that there were plenty of “non-transparent” dealings under the Bush administration. On the other hand, Barack Obama, on his huge wave of popularity, promised to have the most open, most transparent government this nation has ever seen. Instead, his administration is one of secret dealings and utter disregard for the Constitution of the United States. Anyone (well, anyone with political clout and several million dollars) can be elected president once. But shame on all of us if THIS President is elected TWICE. In that case, we all surely get what we deserve, and more.
Finally, I would like to appeal to our leaders in Congress to Rise Up and do your job. Do the job that We the People elected you to do, and that we are PAYING you to do. Instead you refuse to STAND UP to this man, truly a wolf in sheep’s garments, and demand that he follow the law of the land, OR TAKE HIM OUT OF OFFICE. DO IT NOW, before he gives the Alaskan islands away, and with it the BILLIONS of barrels of oil on and around those islands. How does giving away this oil and these islands promote “the best interest of America,” Mr. President?
With my appeal to our “leaders,” I also appeal to all of us to demand that Congress rein in this man now. President Obama, who first turned his back on the flag of the nation that elected him, is now turning his back on the Constitution and on the very openness and transparency that he promised ALL of us. It is very easy to contact your political leaders. Each congressman and senator has a web page now, with comment sections. I do not like this method myself, but it is easy to do and takes very little time. Just a short and LOUD email will do. For me, I prefer the old-fashioned, snail-mailed letter approach. I personally believe that regular mail just has more impact. But I come from the pre-email generation, so take this with a grain of salt, as they say.
To all those who elected President Obama, I once again ask you, have you received all the openness and transparency that you were promised? If you think you have, and you want even more, than Obama is your man. If, however, you are somewhat disappointed with what Obama and his administration have become (always WAS, in the case of Hilary Clinton), then I urge you to do this at the next election. I URGE you to stand with the many others who will vote against this man and all he stands for, which, in my opinion, is quite the opposite of all he promised way back in 2007. As I have said before, maybe none of the choices for president we have are “good,” but I believe the worst choice is to let Barack Obama tarnish the office of President of the United States any further than he has so far managed to do.
PS: I have not even mentioned the much UN-heralded missile technology give-away that Obama has orchestrated. The give-away of the Alaskan Islands, with all their oil, and without Congressional approval, is an impeachable action. I think the missile technology deals with Russia are impeachable as well, but in fairness to Mr. Obama, if Bill Clinton was not impeached and removed for doing the same thing with China, I guess we have to forgive Mr. Obama, too.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Just Another McDonald's Sunday
It was just another Sunday morning. My lovely bride and I had were returning from grocery buying when we decided to stop by McDonald's (Mickey D's) for breakfast. I would like to point out here that I ONLY eat Micky D breakfast food and their wonderful French fries. The other reason we chose Mickey D's is that they serve Peppermint Mocha, my SO's first choice in a morning drink.
Upon arrival at said Mickey D's #7240, we observed that the drive-through line was nearly two blocks long, so we opted to park our vehicle and actually walk inside to get our food. So we entered Mickey D's, which is reputed to be a "fast-food establishment." Let me just say that our experience with this particular McDonald's cast some quantity of doubt on that reputation.
The young lady operating the only working cash register on premises was very bright and outgoing. I have nothing but admiration for the way she did her job, both in welcoming us and in taking my order. The incident which I am about to relate to you has no bearing on this young cashier. May she have a blessed career at Mickey D's, full of opportunity for advancement. The incident truly begins AFTER we paid for our meal. The young lady thanked me for my order, handed my change to me, and said, "Your order is number fifty-eight." I took my receipt and joined my spouse and the six or seven people waiting for their orders to be filled.
A few minutes later, I noticed that more people were standing or sitting around waiting for food, and more cars were clogging the drive-through, but very few people were getting their actual orders handed to them at "Lane 3." That's right. After paying for food at Register 3, you were expected to pickup your food at Lane 3, a clear spot on the counter three spaces west of Register 3. Remember, Registers 1 and 2 were unmanned even though there were several people in the lobby waiting on food.
But, to her credit, the young lady at Register 3 was able to take everyone's order in a timely and cheerful manner. Not so much the cooking crew.
Normally, I would expect my order to be completed in two or three minutes and I would be out the door and on my way. But I had been to this Mickey D's on two previous occasions, so I was completely prepared for the possibility that this food-buying foray would take slightly longer than three minutes. So I passed the first five minutes by making pleasant talk with SO. Then I noticed that more and more people were gathering in the lobby, but very few people were getting their food and leaving. Similarly the drive-through contained the same vehicles that SO and I had seen when we entered the establishment.
Minute 6....
It was about here that I began to have some concern that the production time of our order was taking longer than usual, even for this McDonald's. I mentioned this to my spouse. She said, "Oh, we're not in any hurry. And this is sort of comical, really." I realized she was right. The interaction between the various "crewmen" was comical, now that I was watching. There were several team "members" working on two sides of a cooking line. The orders that needed completion were displayed on very modern television screens, each order being deleted from the screen as it was finished. High tech business efficiency at its best. Unfortunately, the efficiency achieved with order-placing was not matched in the production area.
The woman who appeared to be the shift leader was busy making pancakes and frying hash browns. The lady who appeared to be the head cook was assembling sausage mcmuffins at the rate of three or four a minute, while cooking other ingredients as well. There were other people cooking other things. The mystery was that no matter now many food items were cooked, no orders were completed. Then the two lady leaders began shouting at each other. One was demanding that certain items be cooked, while the other was telling the first lady that she HAD cooked those items, and then when the first lady demanded items that were already cooked, it confused the second lady and her helpers. After some more shouting and accusations of mismanagement, some orders were actually delivered.
I was suddenly so happy...our food was nearly ready. I was sure only a few of the frozen items stored in the back of the Tahoe had melted, and our order would be done before the rest of the chicken breasts thawed. My mistake! I head someone yell, "Number 65!." I knew I was "Number 58" so I should have been "served" at some point before Mr. 65 got his Big Breakfast with large coffee! I could tell that an annoyed blonde and a young man late for his shift at Taco Villa were both getting upset that their orders were not ready. They had both been waiting longer than had my SO and I. The blonde was making it clear through her facial expressions that she had been waiting long enough!
SO observed here that "this really is very funny!" There was no way she could be upset. The two apparent shift leaders had nearly caused a meltdown in the kitchen, the "front" people were still having problems completing orders. Various components of partial orders were stacked up in various places along the counters, and staff were arguing about how many pancakes and hash browns were in what bags. The drive-through line now extended out onto the Loop 250 service road, and SO and I had now been in Mickey D's for over fifteen minutes. The blonde customer had perfected her patiently forbearing look, and the Taco Villa kid was starting to sweat. A 'gansta,' I mean a gentleman in his early twenties who was dressed in a skull cap, long-tailed tee shirt, and baggy shorts pulled up to just below his buttocks had joined us in the waiting line. He displayed signs of a latent desire to commit criminal battery against the Mickey D staff who were not filling his order fast enough.
Someone shouted "Number 51!" I said to SO, "Did she just call 51?
"Yes, dear, she just called 51."
I said, "But they served 65 just a few minutes ago!"
Micky D staffer: "Number 68!"
SO: "There is no logic in their method."
At this point the agitated and impatient blonde took one step toward the counter. At that moment someone shouted, "Number 52!" The blonde walked quickly to the counter and took her order. A second later and the young Taco Villa employee got his order and left the restaurant. A very elderly man in front of me turned and gave me a knowing smile. In that moment I connected with him and realized that he felt like if he did not his order soon he would probably need someone to call the funeral parlor for him.
"Number 58!"
At long last our order was ready. Sweetie had her mocha now and I had my two egg mcmuffins with sausage. I went back to the cash register stand and asked the young lady the store manager's name. She was suddenly quite alarmed, but provided me with the requested information. I smiled at her, collected our order, and SO and I made our way back to the truck. The "quick stop" for breakfast and coffee ultimately took eighteen minutes. But I can say that I got to spend extra time with SO AND got entertained by the Micky D's staff all at the same time. What could be better? And I still get to call the manager and talk about the...er...less than stellar service SO and I received today. Fast food, slow fulfillment, and service with a scowl, ah, all the things you may expect at Midland Mickey D's #7420. Thank you for visiting, and have a pleasant week!
Upon arrival at said Mickey D's #7240, we observed that the drive-through line was nearly two blocks long, so we opted to park our vehicle and actually walk inside to get our food. So we entered Mickey D's, which is reputed to be a "fast-food establishment." Let me just say that our experience with this particular McDonald's cast some quantity of doubt on that reputation.
The young lady operating the only working cash register on premises was very bright and outgoing. I have nothing but admiration for the way she did her job, both in welcoming us and in taking my order. The incident which I am about to relate to you has no bearing on this young cashier. May she have a blessed career at Mickey D's, full of opportunity for advancement. The incident truly begins AFTER we paid for our meal. The young lady thanked me for my order, handed my change to me, and said, "Your order is number fifty-eight." I took my receipt and joined my spouse and the six or seven people waiting for their orders to be filled.
A few minutes later, I noticed that more people were standing or sitting around waiting for food, and more cars were clogging the drive-through, but very few people were getting their actual orders handed to them at "Lane 3." That's right. After paying for food at Register 3, you were expected to pickup your food at Lane 3, a clear spot on the counter three spaces west of Register 3. Remember, Registers 1 and 2 were unmanned even though there were several people in the lobby waiting on food.
But, to her credit, the young lady at Register 3 was able to take everyone's order in a timely and cheerful manner. Not so much the cooking crew.
Normally, I would expect my order to be completed in two or three minutes and I would be out the door and on my way. But I had been to this Mickey D's on two previous occasions, so I was completely prepared for the possibility that this food-buying foray would take slightly longer than three minutes. So I passed the first five minutes by making pleasant talk with SO. Then I noticed that more and more people were gathering in the lobby, but very few people were getting their food and leaving. Similarly the drive-through contained the same vehicles that SO and I had seen when we entered the establishment.
Minute 6....
It was about here that I began to have some concern that the production time of our order was taking longer than usual, even for this McDonald's. I mentioned this to my spouse. She said, "Oh, we're not in any hurry. And this is sort of comical, really." I realized she was right. The interaction between the various "crewmen" was comical, now that I was watching. There were several team "members" working on two sides of a cooking line. The orders that needed completion were displayed on very modern television screens, each order being deleted from the screen as it was finished. High tech business efficiency at its best. Unfortunately, the efficiency achieved with order-placing was not matched in the production area.
The woman who appeared to be the shift leader was busy making pancakes and frying hash browns. The lady who appeared to be the head cook was assembling sausage mcmuffins at the rate of three or four a minute, while cooking other ingredients as well. There were other people cooking other things. The mystery was that no matter now many food items were cooked, no orders were completed. Then the two lady leaders began shouting at each other. One was demanding that certain items be cooked, while the other was telling the first lady that she HAD cooked those items, and then when the first lady demanded items that were already cooked, it confused the second lady and her helpers. After some more shouting and accusations of mismanagement, some orders were actually delivered.
I was suddenly so happy...our food was nearly ready. I was sure only a few of the frozen items stored in the back of the Tahoe had melted, and our order would be done before the rest of the chicken breasts thawed. My mistake! I head someone yell, "Number 65!." I knew I was "Number 58" so I should have been "served" at some point before Mr. 65 got his Big Breakfast with large coffee! I could tell that an annoyed blonde and a young man late for his shift at Taco Villa were both getting upset that their orders were not ready. They had both been waiting longer than had my SO and I. The blonde was making it clear through her facial expressions that she had been waiting long enough!
SO observed here that "this really is very funny!" There was no way she could be upset. The two apparent shift leaders had nearly caused a meltdown in the kitchen, the "front" people were still having problems completing orders. Various components of partial orders were stacked up in various places along the counters, and staff were arguing about how many pancakes and hash browns were in what bags. The drive-through line now extended out onto the Loop 250 service road, and SO and I had now been in Mickey D's for over fifteen minutes. The blonde customer had perfected her patiently forbearing look, and the Taco Villa kid was starting to sweat. A 'gansta,' I mean a gentleman in his early twenties who was dressed in a skull cap, long-tailed tee shirt, and baggy shorts pulled up to just below his buttocks had joined us in the waiting line. He displayed signs of a latent desire to commit criminal battery against the Mickey D staff who were not filling his order fast enough.
Someone shouted "Number 51!" I said to SO, "Did she just call 51?
"Yes, dear, she just called 51."
I said, "But they served 65 just a few minutes ago!"
Micky D staffer: "Number 68!"
SO: "There is no logic in their method."
At this point the agitated and impatient blonde took one step toward the counter. At that moment someone shouted, "Number 52!" The blonde walked quickly to the counter and took her order. A second later and the young Taco Villa employee got his order and left the restaurant. A very elderly man in front of me turned and gave me a knowing smile. In that moment I connected with him and realized that he felt like if he did not his order soon he would probably need someone to call the funeral parlor for him.
"Number 58!"
At long last our order was ready. Sweetie had her mocha now and I had my two egg mcmuffins with sausage. I went back to the cash register stand and asked the young lady the store manager's name. She was suddenly quite alarmed, but provided me with the requested information. I smiled at her, collected our order, and SO and I made our way back to the truck. The "quick stop" for breakfast and coffee ultimately took eighteen minutes. But I can say that I got to spend extra time with SO AND got entertained by the Micky D's staff all at the same time. What could be better? And I still get to call the manager and talk about the...er...less than stellar service SO and I received today. Fast food, slow fulfillment, and service with a scowl, ah, all the things you may expect at Midland Mickey D's #7420. Thank you for visiting, and have a pleasant week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)