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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

What We Don’t See

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As always, when I get up in the morning, I make myself a cup of coffee and then turn on the TV to see what the topics of the day will be and read my newspaper to see what happened yesterday. There's not a whole lot of difference because, when you're stuck on stagnant; people will talk about how we used to do things. This morning the roundtable on MSNBCs “Good Morning Joe” agreed that a Marshall Plan that was created shortly after World War II, wouldn't get past the laughing stage today. Can you imagine asking the American taxpayer for $12 billion to pay for reducing hunger, homelessness, unemployment, and political unrest of 270 million people of 16 nations of Western Europe? Yes, Europe is in a financial mess today, but look at the successful it's been since 1947.

Some are criticizing the young students protesting mainly in the New York financial districts but also in many other cities across the United States. One pundit said that they should take their march to Washington. Were they saying that we should leave the financial districts alone, and that they should be given a pass? The students have just graduated from college, but they cannot get a job to pay off their student loans and their future looks mighty dim. As a poster said the other day, when the Tea Party was protesting, they were touted as patriots, because they marched on Washington. The Tea Party started with small numbers, then the media, and corporate sponsors stepped in and made them a major force in today's politics.

The students and the unemployed middle class have now made the bogeyman list, because they dare say something about the corruption of the financial markets. Some people are making the unemployed, the culprit, as if there was a job on every street corner. I see the lines of the unemployed; they stretch for about three blocks or as far as the eye can see. Are there deadbeats that do not want to work? I'm sure they are, but are they, the norm or the exception. Do we accept what we see in our city as representative for the whole country?

I'm as guilty as anyone else for not allowing a discussion to flow on its merits rather than on a preconceived opinion. Take, for instance, the subject of teaching Spanish in school. I asked my daughter, who has been a teacher for about eight years, if there was a problem with students not knowing English. She tells me that there have been a couple of instances, but she learned that those students were in the process of learning English. When those students overcame their barrier, they were at the top of the class. We do have some hard line "English Only" people, but I've always told my children that the shortcut to success was being proficient in English. Having said that, I based my opinion what my daughter told me because I don't have any idea, there may be 20 students at VISD where English is the second language. I don't know why those students can't go to a class at Profit (is that still open?) to be taught by a bilingual teacher before placing those students in regular classes. Then again, one of the few things I have in common with President George W. Bush is when he said” as long as children are in the United States, we will make sure that they get an education because it will benefit them and our country.” Illiteracy and ignorance are the perfect formula for a life of failure, poverty and crime.

Newcowboyintown is a reasonable poster and a self-proclaimed conservative, but I'm yearning to find a proper way to ask him a question. He has given one example of a welfare recipient leaving the store and driving away in a luxury vehicle. Yesterday, he informed me of a lady buying a chicken and two loaves of bread, hoping that she wasn't beating the system because she was using a Lone Star card. I would like to ask him, what set off the red flag, was it the Lone Star card? What if a well dressed white lady happened to be in front of him, would he have had checked to see what she was paying with? I normally don't do any grocery shopping, but when I do, I never pay any attention to the person in front of me, and until the other day(, I went online to get an image of the Lone Star card) I didn't even know what that card looked like. I'm pretty sure Newcowboy, has been a hardworking individual, all his life, and it irks him when people cheat the system. I think that we all do. I used to cringe when I heard stories of people cheating on their taxes. Those same people would get angry, when they saw the working poor cashing those $5,000 EITC checks, just for having a couple kids and making $22,000. Every since the Great Depression people have taken out their frustration out on those who they perceived to be below them ,while allowing the wealthy to go unscathed, for the most part.

There is a concerted effort to make government the root of all evil, while letting Wall Street free of any blame. Alton Easton writes a blog reflecting that sentiment, but he does not tell you that Bank of America got $45 billion in TARP funds helped bail them out from the consequences of their own incompetence. It’s just an effort to recover the money they are losing by a required cut in transaction fees levied on merchants every time a debit card is used. But those $5 fees for debit card users are more onerous than the fees being cut. The other day he wrote a blog about Obama wanting to extend tax audits from the current three years to six years. He did not tell you that the congressional House Ways and Means (in Republican hands) is the place where tax legislation and regulations are passed. He went onto make it as an extra cost to taxpayers, as if we're going to hire more IRS agents. The Republican Party controls the House of Representatives which in turn control the purse strings. We want tax compliance, but it's an extra burden on the taxpayers pay for it? The financial sector caused the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression but any effort to rein them is an excuse to blame the government every time banks and financial institutions raise their fees.

I guess the lines are drawn in the sand; either you're with government or with Wall Street. Our newspaper asked Jennifer Janak, a stay-at-home mom, to write an article about her Occupy Victoria Facebook page. It was pretty interesting and inspiring because she was actually trying to do something about our dire situation. The usual suspects came calling it sad, socialist, anarchist and akin to the national movement which probably has ties to the radical left group Underground Weathermen. What was common to the random name calling? It was the omission of any facts to support their position.

20 comments:

Mike said...

This afternoon Chris Christi said what most pundits anticipated,he will not run...The GOP race is between Romney, Perry and for now Cain....Michelle Bachmann's staff is bailing out on her,again.

At least Christi and put a stop to the rumors, unlike Sarah Palin who wants to still be in the limelight, she can enjoy her last 15 minutes.

Edith Ann said...

I really don't know what to add to what you've said. These folks confuse me. They have come out blasting this poor Jennifer Janak for actually making an attempt to do something. I don't get it--I was constantly accused by some of these same folks of just complaining and not doing anything! What do they want? Well, why am I asking? They clearly don't know what they want!

In my mind--if you do not like the folks occupying Wall Street, then you must be for the big business and all they represent. Yet, these locals who are apparently supporting big business, gripe about city hall! I don't know why level of government makes a difference.

Anyway, as I said, these folks confuse me, and give me heartburn.

Mike said...

EA
I read some RW blogs where all the blame was put on the protesters being led by LW activist but the ones I see on TV are just students worried about their future. 

Jennifer was getting into the issues but she was maligned because she mentioned Wall Street and didn't place all the blame on the government.

Believe it or not,I know have a different opinion about abatements after reading how big companies were scamming local governments...and you are right,you are doing the same thing Jennifer is doing....It takes me awhile but sones I actually get there...:-)

Edith Ann said...

Be sure to read the recap of tonight's City Council meeting in the Advocate. The mayor insisted on giving a hotel THAT APPARENTLY WAS GOING TO BUILD HERE ANYWAY a tax abatement. His rationale? If they changed their mind and didn't build, folks would stay in AUSTIN while they visited Victoria.

Heartburn.

Mike said...

I wouldn't want him as my agent;he would give some of my money back so the owner didn't change their mind.

Mike said...

I hope she doesn't mind but I just had to steal this from Juanita's awesome site..She is funny as hell and sharp as a tack.

On Hank Williams Jr, comparing Obama to Hitler.

"He does know that Hitler was white, wore boots, and line danced, right?

Hey, if you think President Obama was insulted, just think how Hitler would feel being compared to a black guy.

Hank Williams, Jr., making Whiskey River look like a little ole brook."

Mike said...

Surprise,surprise Sarah Palin will not run...I thought Obama was so easy to beat....She's just an after thought now.

Edith Ann said...

Sarah Palin is nothing but an after-thought now. She should have been dismissed months ago.

Do you think the republicans would elect Romney?

Mike said...

The GOP has 13 months to warm up to him but he can be morphed into anything they want but he will never be part of them.....I can't wait for first debate where Obama will praise hin for his health care plan.

Perry is not out yet because the evangelicals do not like Romney....It's another hold your nose and pull the GOP lever.....We won't see the enthusiasm because all the candidates and big operatives do not like Romney but they want to beat Obama so bad,they will eat their principals...I heard Tea Party might be tempted to support 3rd party but if they do that; Obama will waltz in for easy victory.

Edith Ann said...

I just can't see the evangelicals electing a Mormon. I wonder if Romney wants it bad enough to become what they need him to be?

Mike said...

I'm not going to impose on Alton's blog but the 230,000 new EPA hires is another falsehood...Why does he continue to do this...It only took me a couple of minutes to find the info.

EPA Currently Employs 17,000 People. The fact that EPA does not plan to hire 230,000 employees at a cost of $21 billion per year should be obvious considering that the entire agency employs around 17,000 people and its fiscal year 2011 budget is only $8.7 billion. [Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 9/27/11]

http://mediamatters.org/research/201109270014

Mike said...

Good question,I never thought about it from that angle.

Edith Ann said...

Probably because FOX told him so.

I caught a clip of Sarah Palin talking to Greta Van Sustren. She said her reason for not running was so she could help the candidates articulate their message and get it out there! What a hoot! She actually used the word articulate!

It will be like nails on a chalkboard...

Mike said...

Lol..... It is a Fox tactic; put it out there, sort out the truth later on.

I don't see Mitt Romney wanting the advice of a 1/2 term governor; he'll take her money and support and pretend he's an admirer, until the general election.

Sarah Palin was not big breaking news item like Chris Christie, but the demise of Steve Jobs put everyone on the back burner.

Edith Ann said...

Yeah, I figure they are going to line up to get her services...NOT!

Mike said...

Where did the civility go?Seems like a lot of the comments have a lot to do with race,the poor,unemployed,Wall Street protesters, and the VA is behind some of it.

Edith Ann said...

Right now the republicans apparently don't know how to be civil. I think they are very upset with the speed at which the occupy events are spreading. They are making the tea parties look like old lady tea parties! The young folks are really embracing the occupy events, and the others know that this demographic is necessary.

As to the Advocate, it is the same three guys enjoying each others' company *wink, wink* and they never get tired of hearing each other yap.

Mike said...

EA
That's a great summation because they are foaming at the mouth....I went to the post office this evening when I heard this RW radio host that  say that the young people smelled bad and were being manipulated by Obama and the democrats..If only,they are sympathetic but that's all.

Yep,making their best case with 13 months to go.

Sugar Magnolia said...

I can tell you that there is a certain reporter who, through blogs, is insistent on stirring the racial pot. I'm getting really tired of that.

Mike said...

I agree Sugar,in fact that's why I stated that the example she wrote about is old and I don't think it's that much of a problem..You know our forum,they take a mile if you give them an inch.

That's all she writes about.