I was part of a fascinating conversation at lunch one day last week. This conversation took place at work, which means a bunch of well-educated nonprofit professionals gathered around the board room table eating brown-bag lunches (because, hey, we work at a nonprofit). The topic of capitalism came up and I shared a portion of the lecture I delivered earlier in the week about the link between imperialism and capitalism as proof that capitalism is inherently evil. Someone said that a strength of capitalism is the ability to vote with our dollars, and someone (wish it was me) said "too bad we can't select what our tax dollars go to pay for".
Wait a minute, back up!
What if we could designate how our tax dollars were spent? Not necessarily how much we pay, but imagine one more section on each iteration of the 1040 that lists broad budget categories and asks us to fill in a percentage of our tax dollars for each program area. It might look something like this:
Please enter below in whole numbers (no decimals or fractions) the percentage of your tax dollars that you choose to allocate to each of the following program areas. (Social Security and Medicare are not listed because these are funded through a different tax stream.) Your entries must total 100%.
1. Education (pre-K - 20)
2. Health care and public health
3. Defense
4. War (expenses related to declared wars or ongoing conflicts)
5. Environmental Protection
6. Consumer protection agencies (FDA,USDA, etc)
7. National Endowment for the Arts
8. Overhead and operating expenses
9. Foreign aid (not including military aid)
10. Paying down the national debt
11. Law enforcement and prisons (FBI, Homeland Security, federal prisons, etc)
Now take this one step further: imagine that all our combined responses become the basis for the federal budget. Yes, that's right, if we collectively feel that the war effort is worth $x billion, while education funding should be $y billion, then those are the amounts that legislators will have to work with to fund these programs for the coming fiscal year. They can wrangle all they want about how dollars are allocated within each category, but they wouldn't be able to move funds between categories.
Wouldn't it be fascinating to find out how the American people would distribute their tax dollars if given the chance? Maybe someone needs to create a Facebook quiz to gather data on that... or to start a movement.
Lobbyists, go away! The role of lobbyists would be limited at best under this system, since funds would be partially allocated before Congress even got a first look at them. Of course, since we are an adaptive lot, the lobbyists may become more specialized and focus on programs within a given area of funding. I'd actually like to see someone out there lobbying to increase allocations for public school funding or ways to reduce the cost of tuition at state universities.
What would your choices look like?
And since this would be done as part of the income tax return, participation would be mandatory - not like voting, in which some of the most marginalized individuals in our society are disenfranchised through gerrymandering or voter identification laws, or by circumstance. If you're juggling multiple jobs you likely don't have time to pay much attention to politics or might not be able to get to the polls. But income tax returns? We all gotta do them.
Talk about government of the people, by the people and for the people! Somehow I think the founding fathers might approve.
Peace,
AuntieM
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Okay, I just can't be silent anymore...
I've been reluctantly following the early events of the new political silly-season, and each time I think it can't get any weirder, it does.
Santorum? Really, Colorado? The guy who wants to return women to the era when birth control was a wire coathanger? Turnout for the Republican caucus must have been really low to let a handful of reactionaries take the day. Pop by next month for the Democratic caucus and we'll show you how it's done.
It's amazing to look back through history and note how conservatism has evolved from its primary concern with fiscal responsibility to obsessing over personal behaviours and choices. Yesterday's conservatives look like today's progressives, and today's conservatives look like yesterday's fascists.
Yes, fascists.
Courtesy of Merriam-Webster.com, fascism is "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition."
And by the way, since when did "liberal" become a dirty word, so tainted that we have to use the euphemism "progressive"? I'm liberal and I'm damn proud of it!
Is there anything above that isn't being played out right now by the sideshow slate of characters vying for the Republican nomination? Particularly "forcible suppression of opposition", speaking from my time with the #Occupy movement.
Hey, Occupy Denver, where have you gotten off to? It's sad when an active supporter can't keep track of your activities (or lack thereof) anymore. Like I told you a couple of months ago, you need to keep up with your Saturday marches in order to maintain a public image as a cohesive and functional movement. Instead, you've deteriorated into a camp for homeless and dopers. Yes, they are also part of the 99%, but you're not going to get much support from mainstream citizens if your primary issue is legalizing pot. Which I also told you a couple of months ago. I'm really glad there are still viable Occupy groups elsewhere in the country, and I hope that Occupy Denver can pull itself back together.
But I digress.
I did our taxes this morning. Maybe that's what has me on a rant, or at least represents the final straw. Now I'm seething over Rich Guy Mitt's low tax rate, while we barely scraped by and, incidentally, paid a higher rate than he reported. So not right, since when should people who are barely hanging on have to pay more to support a government than those who have become wealthy in its service?
And whoever decided that Colorado unemployment benefits are taxable income is a truly heartless person. Hubby was unemployed or underemployed for a good portion of 2011, so those benefits were vital to us. I'm still at my nonprofit and teaching, but it's mighty hard to make up for another whole income. (On the bright side, Hubby is doing so well in his auto mechanics program - he's 3/4 of the way through and has a 4.0 GPA! He's working part-time while going to school, which really is about all that's feasible.)
Not to ignore the other Republican also-rans, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul. Newt dear, I'd rather use you in a spell than think of you as president. Ron Paul is simply scary in his desire to dismantle everything, and he strangely reminds me of Ross Perot, the uber-rich guy who ran in 1992 as an independent and split the conservative vote. But at least Perot was funny and could laugh at himself. Ron Paul believes in the garbage he's spouting and takes both himself and his chances at the Presidency way too seriously.
Another rant-worthy topic: our health insurance premium (group coverage through my nonprofit) went up by 20%. Will someone PLEASE explain to me why the fascists/Republicans/Tea Partiers are so hot to dismantle the health care reforms that Obama signed into law, and why they think we don't need health care reform and a single-payer national health system? I had to move to a deductible so high that I just hope and pray we don't need to use our coverage, because anything short of a critical illness requiring hospitalization will come out of our pockets, which as you might have guessed from the previous paragraphs aren't that deep. And that was to keep my portion of the premium down to 25% of my take-home pay. Elizabeth Warren is right, rising health care costs are what's eroding the middle class. Don't believe me? Check out her lecture on YouTube. It's nearly an hour long but well worth investing your time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Uk-DwUvJw
My biggest source of hope right now? It's the belief that one day people will wake up and see just how badly they've been used by the fascist conservatives, and then they will revolt against their oppressors. That is, if they can tear themselves away from American Idol and TMZ, clear their minds of the weapons of mass distraction being pushed to the forefront of the collective American consciousness by the conservative-controlled media giants, and think for themselves instead of mindlessly sopping up the slanted and inflammatory fodder presented by Faux News.
Yes, one day this will happen. It has to. The alternative is too grim to consider.
AuntieM
Santorum? Really, Colorado? The guy who wants to return women to the era when birth control was a wire coathanger? Turnout for the Republican caucus must have been really low to let a handful of reactionaries take the day. Pop by next month for the Democratic caucus and we'll show you how it's done.
It's amazing to look back through history and note how conservatism has evolved from its primary concern with fiscal responsibility to obsessing over personal behaviours and choices. Yesterday's conservatives look like today's progressives, and today's conservatives look like yesterday's fascists.
Yes, fascists.
Courtesy of Merriam-Webster.com, fascism is "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition."
And by the way, since when did "liberal" become a dirty word, so tainted that we have to use the euphemism "progressive"? I'm liberal and I'm damn proud of it!
Is there anything above that isn't being played out right now by the sideshow slate of characters vying for the Republican nomination? Particularly "forcible suppression of opposition", speaking from my time with the #Occupy movement.
Hey, Occupy Denver, where have you gotten off to? It's sad when an active supporter can't keep track of your activities (or lack thereof) anymore. Like I told you a couple of months ago, you need to keep up with your Saturday marches in order to maintain a public image as a cohesive and functional movement. Instead, you've deteriorated into a camp for homeless and dopers. Yes, they are also part of the 99%, but you're not going to get much support from mainstream citizens if your primary issue is legalizing pot. Which I also told you a couple of months ago. I'm really glad there are still viable Occupy groups elsewhere in the country, and I hope that Occupy Denver can pull itself back together.
But I digress.
I did our taxes this morning. Maybe that's what has me on a rant, or at least represents the final straw. Now I'm seething over Rich Guy Mitt's low tax rate, while we barely scraped by and, incidentally, paid a higher rate than he reported. So not right, since when should people who are barely hanging on have to pay more to support a government than those who have become wealthy in its service?
And whoever decided that Colorado unemployment benefits are taxable income is a truly heartless person. Hubby was unemployed or underemployed for a good portion of 2011, so those benefits were vital to us. I'm still at my nonprofit and teaching, but it's mighty hard to make up for another whole income. (On the bright side, Hubby is doing so well in his auto mechanics program - he's 3/4 of the way through and has a 4.0 GPA! He's working part-time while going to school, which really is about all that's feasible.)
Not to ignore the other Republican also-rans, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul. Newt dear, I'd rather use you in a spell than think of you as president. Ron Paul is simply scary in his desire to dismantle everything, and he strangely reminds me of Ross Perot, the uber-rich guy who ran in 1992 as an independent and split the conservative vote. But at least Perot was funny and could laugh at himself. Ron Paul believes in the garbage he's spouting and takes both himself and his chances at the Presidency way too seriously.
Another rant-worthy topic: our health insurance premium (group coverage through my nonprofit) went up by 20%. Will someone PLEASE explain to me why the fascists/Republicans/Tea Partiers are so hot to dismantle the health care reforms that Obama signed into law, and why they think we don't need health care reform and a single-payer national health system? I had to move to a deductible so high that I just hope and pray we don't need to use our coverage, because anything short of a critical illness requiring hospitalization will come out of our pockets, which as you might have guessed from the previous paragraphs aren't that deep. And that was to keep my portion of the premium down to 25% of my take-home pay. Elizabeth Warren is right, rising health care costs are what's eroding the middle class. Don't believe me? Check out her lecture on YouTube. It's nearly an hour long but well worth investing your time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Uk-DwUvJw
My biggest source of hope right now? It's the belief that one day people will wake up and see just how badly they've been used by the fascist conservatives, and then they will revolt against their oppressors. That is, if they can tear themselves away from American Idol and TMZ, clear their minds of the weapons of mass distraction being pushed to the forefront of the collective American consciousness by the conservative-controlled media giants, and think for themselves instead of mindlessly sopping up the slanted and inflammatory fodder presented by Faux News.
Yes, one day this will happen. It has to. The alternative is too grim to consider.
AuntieM
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Centennial post
Hi folks, I'm back...
Yes, after a long hiatus (roughly grad-school length) I've resurfaced in the blogosphere. Now that I'm not a student anymore I've been trying to figure out how I used to spend my time and my poor neglected blog came to mind, thanks in large part to a comment to one of my older posts that showed up in my e-mail yesterday evening. So I thought I'd do a quick check-in just to see if I remembered how to do this thing.
Wish I had something relevant to say - this is sort of a milestone post, number 100, it should be something substantial. Unfortunately the most substantial thing on my mind right now is getting another cup of coffee and getting ready for work. I'm still at the same nonprofit, but my duties have expanded with my education and skill-set. I've traded the role of student for that of teacher and am working to spread the gospel of Sociology to a new group of eager open minds each semester. Funny, as an uber-introvert I'm surprised by how much I enjoy teaching, especially in person in the classroom as opposed to teaching online. It's insanely fun watching students experience the "aha" moments that come from developing an understanding of sociology.
The ongoing economic woes have not left us untouched: Hubby was laid off 15 months ago and is still struggling to find work. He's gone back to school (I'm so proud of him!) and is pursuing his passion of working in the automotive field, ideally restoring old cars. In the meantime he's working part-time, getting only a few hours a week at a really crappy job, and is searching for something better. I know it's all beginning to turn around, just wish it would hurry a bit.
The cats are still great, they brighten our days and make us laugh while ruling the roost.
So what can I say of consequence to close this rambling update? Only that despite the cumulative exhaustion that comes from completing three degrees in five years while holding down multiple jobs, I'm still committed to the goals that I set forth in my earliest posts. As I re-engage with the world I hope to post observations, begin conversations, rabblerouse and generally get people to think about the tough issues we face as a society. Maybe reaffirming that commitment itself is consequential enough for a milestone post.
In the meantime,
Peace (and more coffee please),
Auntie M
Yes, after a long hiatus (roughly grad-school length) I've resurfaced in the blogosphere. Now that I'm not a student anymore I've been trying to figure out how I used to spend my time and my poor neglected blog came to mind, thanks in large part to a comment to one of my older posts that showed up in my e-mail yesterday evening. So I thought I'd do a quick check-in just to see if I remembered how to do this thing.
Wish I had something relevant to say - this is sort of a milestone post, number 100, it should be something substantial. Unfortunately the most substantial thing on my mind right now is getting another cup of coffee and getting ready for work. I'm still at the same nonprofit, but my duties have expanded with my education and skill-set. I've traded the role of student for that of teacher and am working to spread the gospel of Sociology to a new group of eager open minds each semester. Funny, as an uber-introvert I'm surprised by how much I enjoy teaching, especially in person in the classroom as opposed to teaching online. It's insanely fun watching students experience the "aha" moments that come from developing an understanding of sociology.
The ongoing economic woes have not left us untouched: Hubby was laid off 15 months ago and is still struggling to find work. He's gone back to school (I'm so proud of him!) and is pursuing his passion of working in the automotive field, ideally restoring old cars. In the meantime he's working part-time, getting only a few hours a week at a really crappy job, and is searching for something better. I know it's all beginning to turn around, just wish it would hurry a bit.
The cats are still great, they brighten our days and make us laugh while ruling the roost.
So what can I say of consequence to close this rambling update? Only that despite the cumulative exhaustion that comes from completing three degrees in five years while holding down multiple jobs, I'm still committed to the goals that I set forth in my earliest posts. As I re-engage with the world I hope to post observations, begin conversations, rabblerouse and generally get people to think about the tough issues we face as a society. Maybe reaffirming that commitment itself is consequential enough for a milestone post.
In the meantime,
Peace (and more coffee please),
Auntie M
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Comment on comments
Hi folks,
I have to admit to having a very wide streak of naivete. Part of my worldview includes the assumption that people are honest and good until proven otherwise. As a result of that, I have not paid sufficient attention to the content of comments posted to this blog and approved by yours truly. The specific content in question is the hidden links contained in a line of periods. Seems innocuous, right? I thought so too, and it never occurred to me that these dots contained links to other websites until I happened to stumble across them and was horrified and disgusted by what I found. So this morning I did some housecleaning of my blog, going back through and permanently deleting any posts containing hidden website links. While I would be very happy if my blog attracted an audience and functioned as the starting point for enlightened discussion, it is not my intention to provide free advertising space for websites so off-color that they must be disguised. Consider this a warning: attempting to place these ads on my blog will be futile, so save your time and energy and go elsewhere. I would rather have zero readers and let this blog be an open online diary, than allow my own reputation to be tarnished by association.
Okay, this has obviously hit a nerve with me. Perhaps my actions seem a bit hypocritical since I have advocated for freedom of speech right here on this blog, and now I'm censoring comments. Here's my rationale: It's my blog, and as such I am responsible for any content - posts or comments - that this blog contains. I am not willing to assume responsibility for promoting websites with content so questionable that they have to be presented in hidden form. And yes, most of them were porn sites, but I'm not even getting into my philosophical objections to pornography as a form of exploitation and marginalization of women. This is about my responsibilities as the author of this blog. And from now on I will be paying much closer attention to better fulfil those responsibilities.
AuntieM
I have to admit to having a very wide streak of naivete. Part of my worldview includes the assumption that people are honest and good until proven otherwise. As a result of that, I have not paid sufficient attention to the content of comments posted to this blog and approved by yours truly. The specific content in question is the hidden links contained in a line of periods. Seems innocuous, right? I thought so too, and it never occurred to me that these dots contained links to other websites until I happened to stumble across them and was horrified and disgusted by what I found. So this morning I did some housecleaning of my blog, going back through and permanently deleting any posts containing hidden website links. While I would be very happy if my blog attracted an audience and functioned as the starting point for enlightened discussion, it is not my intention to provide free advertising space for websites so off-color that they must be disguised. Consider this a warning: attempting to place these ads on my blog will be futile, so save your time and energy and go elsewhere. I would rather have zero readers and let this blog be an open online diary, than allow my own reputation to be tarnished by association.
Okay, this has obviously hit a nerve with me. Perhaps my actions seem a bit hypocritical since I have advocated for freedom of speech right here on this blog, and now I'm censoring comments. Here's my rationale: It's my blog, and as such I am responsible for any content - posts or comments - that this blog contains. I am not willing to assume responsibility for promoting websites with content so questionable that they have to be presented in hidden form. And yes, most of them were porn sites, but I'm not even getting into my philosophical objections to pornography as a form of exploitation and marginalization of women. This is about my responsibilities as the author of this blog. And from now on I will be paying much closer attention to better fulfil those responsibilities.
AuntieM
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Two Broke College Students
I never imagined the above phrase would describe Hubby and myself, but there it is: we're both in school, money is tight, but we're both pursuing dreams and the air here in AuntieM-land is filled with hope. And debt. But in the grand scheme of things it will be well worth the investment.
How often do you invest in yourself? That's what education is, an investment in yourself, a financial expression of your belief in yourself (or someone else) and your (their) ability to create a better, happier, more secure future centered on passion instead of obligation.
Hubby is enrolled in school. He found a program he really likes, an Associate of Applied Sciences program in Automotive Service Technology through a local community college. He is now working on his general education electives while he is wait-listed to go into the hands-on portion of the program. Things should time out well, he should finish his general ed electives just in time to begin the hands-on portion no later than January 2011. Right now he's learning to cope with online classes (his choice) and to juggle the demands of being a student again. In order to understand the magnitude of this shift, you need to know that the last time Hubby too a class was as a high-school student in 1969. Yes. Wow. I'm so proud of him for making this gigantic leap of faith and boldly entering an alien environment in search of his passion!
Summer session is in full swing for me as well. I am taking two classes, but let me tell you - two graduate-level summer classes are as much work as 4 undergrad summer classes! And this I know from experience as that was the load I typically took in the summer as an undergrad. The extraordinarily good news: this will be my last summer session, unless my plans change drastically and I decide to Pile it Higher and Deeper, or worse yet, go to law school. Either option would be enjoyable, but I'm at the point where the fun of school needs to yield to the reality of needing to take my pricey education out into the working world and get a job with a salary commensurate to my education and experience. Such a job would be difficult to combine with student status. However I'm not ruling out additional studies at some point, going to school is just too darn much fun! I'm hoping that my upcoming teaching gig will fill some of that desire and let me still have fun in the educational arena but get paid for it instead of paying for the privilege.
Yes, graduation is once again looming, Spring 2011 is my goal to complete my Master of Public Administration program, and for all of my desires to keep things low-key when I finished my undergrad, this time I want to have a total blowout celebration! Hubby and I will each have a significant event to celebrate next May, because within a few days of my graduation he will have a milestone birthday, so we're talking about having a Gigantic Combined Woo-Hoo celebration for both of us and inviting family and friends from all over the country. Not sure exactly what the celebration will consist of - probably attend my commencement and then throw a huge cookout/barbecue/pig-pickin'. In the past I have downplayed my accomplishments and not wanted much done in the way of celebrating them, but this time is different: I'm doing something huge and I want a great big party, damnit!!!
Feline family members are doing well too. GirlCat is happily napping upstairs, probably curled up in a drawer. A long time ago she figured out how to open drawers and make room for a nap by dragging clothing out and leaving it all over the floor. This got old for a while because we kept finding clothes strewn all over the place but we finally reached a compromise: we let her use one drawer for a nap, and she doesn't mess with other drawers. Guess she has us well-trained. The little Snowshoe kitten we adopted last year has grown into a fine cat. Gotta figure out a pseudonym for him but can't use BoyCat, still too painful - there will never be another BoyCat. At any rate, SnowshoeBoy is a talkative bundle of energy who makes us laugh all day with his antics, some of which I keep meaning to film and post on YouTube. He's that funny.
Guess I've procrastinated long enough, time to go write a paper, but this has been a good warm-up to get my creative energy flowing.
Peace and good grades,
AuntieM
How often do you invest in yourself? That's what education is, an investment in yourself, a financial expression of your belief in yourself (or someone else) and your (their) ability to create a better, happier, more secure future centered on passion instead of obligation.
Hubby is enrolled in school. He found a program he really likes, an Associate of Applied Sciences program in Automotive Service Technology through a local community college. He is now working on his general education electives while he is wait-listed to go into the hands-on portion of the program. Things should time out well, he should finish his general ed electives just in time to begin the hands-on portion no later than January 2011. Right now he's learning to cope with online classes (his choice) and to juggle the demands of being a student again. In order to understand the magnitude of this shift, you need to know that the last time Hubby too a class was as a high-school student in 1969. Yes. Wow. I'm so proud of him for making this gigantic leap of faith and boldly entering an alien environment in search of his passion!
Summer session is in full swing for me as well. I am taking two classes, but let me tell you - two graduate-level summer classes are as much work as 4 undergrad summer classes! And this I know from experience as that was the load I typically took in the summer as an undergrad. The extraordinarily good news: this will be my last summer session, unless my plans change drastically and I decide to Pile it Higher and Deeper, or worse yet, go to law school. Either option would be enjoyable, but I'm at the point where the fun of school needs to yield to the reality of needing to take my pricey education out into the working world and get a job with a salary commensurate to my education and experience. Such a job would be difficult to combine with student status. However I'm not ruling out additional studies at some point, going to school is just too darn much fun! I'm hoping that my upcoming teaching gig will fill some of that desire and let me still have fun in the educational arena but get paid for it instead of paying for the privilege.
Yes, graduation is once again looming, Spring 2011 is my goal to complete my Master of Public Administration program, and for all of my desires to keep things low-key when I finished my undergrad, this time I want to have a total blowout celebration! Hubby and I will each have a significant event to celebrate next May, because within a few days of my graduation he will have a milestone birthday, so we're talking about having a Gigantic Combined Woo-Hoo celebration for both of us and inviting family and friends from all over the country. Not sure exactly what the celebration will consist of - probably attend my commencement and then throw a huge cookout/barbecue/pig-pickin'. In the past I have downplayed my accomplishments and not wanted much done in the way of celebrating them, but this time is different: I'm doing something huge and I want a great big party, damnit!!!
Feline family members are doing well too. GirlCat is happily napping upstairs, probably curled up in a drawer. A long time ago she figured out how to open drawers and make room for a nap by dragging clothing out and leaving it all over the floor. This got old for a while because we kept finding clothes strewn all over the place but we finally reached a compromise: we let her use one drawer for a nap, and she doesn't mess with other drawers. Guess she has us well-trained. The little Snowshoe kitten we adopted last year has grown into a fine cat. Gotta figure out a pseudonym for him but can't use BoyCat, still too painful - there will never be another BoyCat. At any rate, SnowshoeBoy is a talkative bundle of energy who makes us laugh all day with his antics, some of which I keep meaning to film and post on YouTube. He's that funny.
Guess I've procrastinated long enough, time to go write a paper, but this has been a good warm-up to get my creative energy flowing.
Peace and good grades,
AuntieM
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Hanging in there
Hi all,
Life continues to be interesting, in the way of the proverbial Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times", although somehow it still feels like there are blessings to be found within the curses too. Hubby is job-hunting as I write this, he is working to master the intricacies of online job search sites. They can be great tools once you learn how to use them, but it takes much patience to get all the way up the learning curve.
He is enthusiastic about finding a source of job training, and has been actively pursuing training in the auto repair field. If anyone has suggestions about good programs in the Denver/Boulder area of Colorado I sure would like to hear about them. We found some promising certificate programs available at community colleges, one in particular he really likes. I am much more willing to trust in the quality of eduction from a state-supported community college than I am a private training school like the ones that advertise on late-night TV. Those are simply scary, no guarantee at all that you will come away with anything other than a mountain of debt! He is also working his way through the unemployment system and finding out what services are available to him. So far it seems to have been a positive experience for him, although he says he'll be glad when he either gets a job or gets into some classes, because he's tired of hanging around the house all day.
I, on the other hand, have been so busy I hardly know my own name. Good thing I write this under a nom de plume! Three graduate school classes and working 3/4 time make for a tremendous load. On top of that I've been trying really hard to take care of myself, which includes visiting the gym twice a week for a rigorous workout. This is something I really need to do, both to preserve the weight loss I achieved over the last five months (26 pounds lost, yay for Weight Watchers!) and to keep my stress level in check because these workouts have become critical for my mental health. I feel that I'm asking so much of myself right now that in order to maintain this level of performance I've got to prioritize taking care of myself in some fashion. Five more weeks of this crazy semester, I can keep going, I know I can... It will be sooooooooo nice to carry a lighter class load after this semester and summer session are past.
Too tired to get on much of a rant today, and way too behind on my studies to devote much time or energy to it either. Suffice it to say that there are a lot of things in this world going wrong - human rights abuses, environmental damage, endless political wrangling from the sour-grapes right wing which during the midterm elections will then try to claim that Obama has accomplished nothing - but I laughed myself breathless when I saw a commercial last night about a brand of toilet paper that will always unroll over the roll, ending the "great over or under debate" forever. This is almost symbolic of our society, and certainly indicative of the direction in which we are heading - right down the toilet - unless we WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!!!!!!! Or are we one of the last generations of a great but dying society? In its dying days Rome had bread and circuses; will our equivalent be the McDonald's dollar menu and reality TV? Is this how America will be remembered a few centuries from now, as a society that grew so entrenched in its comforts that it could not be bothered to recognize the warning signs leading to its own demise? Nero fiddled while Rome burned; I suppose we as a people will just watch American Idol instead, being passively entertained and anesthetized into oblivion.
Cheery thoughts. I told you I was tired, and when I'm tired I get really negative, but there it is for the world to see. Now that it's out there, what can we do about it? That's a question each and every one of us must face and must answer to our own satisfaction, if we can create the mental headspace between video games, celebrity scandals, and "Survivor". Sigh. I'm about to commit an act which has become revolutionary in our society and may ultimately be considered deviant: I'm going to go read a book. I urge you to do the same.
Peace,
AuntieM
Life continues to be interesting, in the way of the proverbial Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times", although somehow it still feels like there are blessings to be found within the curses too. Hubby is job-hunting as I write this, he is working to master the intricacies of online job search sites. They can be great tools once you learn how to use them, but it takes much patience to get all the way up the learning curve.
He is enthusiastic about finding a source of job training, and has been actively pursuing training in the auto repair field. If anyone has suggestions about good programs in the Denver/Boulder area of Colorado I sure would like to hear about them. We found some promising certificate programs available at community colleges, one in particular he really likes. I am much more willing to trust in the quality of eduction from a state-supported community college than I am a private training school like the ones that advertise on late-night TV. Those are simply scary, no guarantee at all that you will come away with anything other than a mountain of debt! He is also working his way through the unemployment system and finding out what services are available to him. So far it seems to have been a positive experience for him, although he says he'll be glad when he either gets a job or gets into some classes, because he's tired of hanging around the house all day.
I, on the other hand, have been so busy I hardly know my own name. Good thing I write this under a nom de plume! Three graduate school classes and working 3/4 time make for a tremendous load. On top of that I've been trying really hard to take care of myself, which includes visiting the gym twice a week for a rigorous workout. This is something I really need to do, both to preserve the weight loss I achieved over the last five months (26 pounds lost, yay for Weight Watchers!) and to keep my stress level in check because these workouts have become critical for my mental health. I feel that I'm asking so much of myself right now that in order to maintain this level of performance I've got to prioritize taking care of myself in some fashion. Five more weeks of this crazy semester, I can keep going, I know I can... It will be sooooooooo nice to carry a lighter class load after this semester and summer session are past.
Too tired to get on much of a rant today, and way too behind on my studies to devote much time or energy to it either. Suffice it to say that there are a lot of things in this world going wrong - human rights abuses, environmental damage, endless political wrangling from the sour-grapes right wing which during the midterm elections will then try to claim that Obama has accomplished nothing - but I laughed myself breathless when I saw a commercial last night about a brand of toilet paper that will always unroll over the roll, ending the "great over or under debate" forever. This is almost symbolic of our society, and certainly indicative of the direction in which we are heading - right down the toilet - unless we WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!!!!!!! Or are we one of the last generations of a great but dying society? In its dying days Rome had bread and circuses; will our equivalent be the McDonald's dollar menu and reality TV? Is this how America will be remembered a few centuries from now, as a society that grew so entrenched in its comforts that it could not be bothered to recognize the warning signs leading to its own demise? Nero fiddled while Rome burned; I suppose we as a people will just watch American Idol instead, being passively entertained and anesthetized into oblivion.
Cheery thoughts. I told you I was tired, and when I'm tired I get really negative, but there it is for the world to see. Now that it's out there, what can we do about it? That's a question each and every one of us must face and must answer to our own satisfaction, if we can create the mental headspace between video games, celebrity scandals, and "Survivor". Sigh. I'm about to commit an act which has become revolutionary in our society and may ultimately be considered deviant: I'm going to go read a book. I urge you to do the same.
Peace,
AuntieM
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Updates from AuntieM-land
Hi all,
I wanted to follow up on a couple of things. First, regarding my pledge to spend more time blogging on behalf of Organizing for America, that fell through pretty quickly when I found out that they only wanted people to do certain things like phone banking. Sorry folks, I still believe in your cause and support your efforts, but I just don't have time for anything else. I could have fit blogging on their behalf fit into my schedule because I enjoy writing this blog and can do it from home at my convenience, but I can't carve out a block of time to go somewhere and volunteer right now.
There was a big change in AuntieM-land this week when Hubby was laid off from his job Tuesday, with no warning whatsoever, and of course no severance package. It's a tough adjustment, one that far too many people have been forced to make. A couple of days ago Hubby went out to get the mail, bumped into a neighbor and told him about the layoff. The neighbor's response was "join the club" - he was laid off last fall and still hasn't found work. While I have no doubt that Hubby will do whatever he can to find a job, there just aren't that many jobs out there right now so it's a tough market. Hubby is interested in using this opportunity to make a career change by getting some training (funded by unemployment - yay!) in a new field. He's considering auto mechanics or solar technology like building/installing solar panels. I'm really proud of him for seeking out the opportunities hidden within the challenges.
I was also very happy when he said he was ready to leave the gaming industry, that it was fun for a while but had gotten old. He's definitely mourning the loss of his job and the connections to people, both colleagues and favorite customers, but he's working through it and starting to map out his next steps. He's filed for unemployment, and in the coming week is going to visit the unemployment office to find out what sort of training/education assistance he would be eligible to receive. He's also updated his resume and has established a facebook page, which was a tremendous step for him. He had the nicest call yesterday from one of the shift managers at his old casino, just checking in as a friend to see that he was doing all right. He's a real class act and an all-around good guy. This call brought some of the emotional impact of the layoff to the surface, and that was a good thing because once it's out in the open it can be acknowledged and dealt with, instead of remaining buried.
I'm delighted that Hubby wants to leave the gaming industry and look for a job closer to home. When I was working in gaming as well I was cavalier about the risks - driving up an icy canyon in a snowstorm so a bunch of idiots could play cards was just part of the deal - but since I've been out I've worried each time he set out on a day like that. It will be a relief for him not to do that anymore. I've also become much more aware of the need for a job that provides fulfullment, not just income, and I hope Hubby finds something that is personally fulfilling, rewarding, and enjoyable - the whole "do what you love and the money will follow" concept.
In all of that happening last week my studies kind of fell by the wayside. I tried to study but couldn't focus on one single thing for longer than about 12 seconds. So now I'm playing catch up and hoping my grades don't suffer too much as a result. Next week is spring break, so I've got a bit of time to catch my breath and get caught up without new assignments being piled on. As far as continuing my studies, I figured out that we'll be better off financially if I stay in school and complete my degree, which will allow me to keep my student loans deferred and keep receiving the student loan overages that have helped us out so far. At least that's one area of my life that isn't getting massively changed as a result, there's some comfort to be found there.
So, yes, life threw us a curve ball this week, but you know what? It seems to me that struggle has been the norm over most of human history, and the prosperity and comfort the American culture of capitalism and consumption preaches as our due is really just a brief interlude. Maybe this is the the takehome lesson for America as a society: time to stop expecting things to come to you just because you think you deserve them, start working toward goals again, and accept setbacks as part of the process of moving forward. Life doesn't hand you a ribbon just for showing up, contrary to the culture in which many of today's young adults grew up. I'm still working on fleshing out these thoughts, because I think there is much more beneath the surface. What I know right now is, sometimes the obstacles placed in your way are not negatives, they are there to help guide you to a different path, the one that is right for you. Creating opportunity from challenge, that's what it's all about.
Peace,
AuntieM
I wanted to follow up on a couple of things. First, regarding my pledge to spend more time blogging on behalf of Organizing for America, that fell through pretty quickly when I found out that they only wanted people to do certain things like phone banking. Sorry folks, I still believe in your cause and support your efforts, but I just don't have time for anything else. I could have fit blogging on their behalf fit into my schedule because I enjoy writing this blog and can do it from home at my convenience, but I can't carve out a block of time to go somewhere and volunteer right now.
There was a big change in AuntieM-land this week when Hubby was laid off from his job Tuesday, with no warning whatsoever, and of course no severance package. It's a tough adjustment, one that far too many people have been forced to make. A couple of days ago Hubby went out to get the mail, bumped into a neighbor and told him about the layoff. The neighbor's response was "join the club" - he was laid off last fall and still hasn't found work. While I have no doubt that Hubby will do whatever he can to find a job, there just aren't that many jobs out there right now so it's a tough market. Hubby is interested in using this opportunity to make a career change by getting some training (funded by unemployment - yay!) in a new field. He's considering auto mechanics or solar technology like building/installing solar panels. I'm really proud of him for seeking out the opportunities hidden within the challenges.
I was also very happy when he said he was ready to leave the gaming industry, that it was fun for a while but had gotten old. He's definitely mourning the loss of his job and the connections to people, both colleagues and favorite customers, but he's working through it and starting to map out his next steps. He's filed for unemployment, and in the coming week is going to visit the unemployment office to find out what sort of training/education assistance he would be eligible to receive. He's also updated his resume and has established a facebook page, which was a tremendous step for him. He had the nicest call yesterday from one of the shift managers at his old casino, just checking in as a friend to see that he was doing all right. He's a real class act and an all-around good guy. This call brought some of the emotional impact of the layoff to the surface, and that was a good thing because once it's out in the open it can be acknowledged and dealt with, instead of remaining buried.
I'm delighted that Hubby wants to leave the gaming industry and look for a job closer to home. When I was working in gaming as well I was cavalier about the risks - driving up an icy canyon in a snowstorm so a bunch of idiots could play cards was just part of the deal - but since I've been out I've worried each time he set out on a day like that. It will be a relief for him not to do that anymore. I've also become much more aware of the need for a job that provides fulfullment, not just income, and I hope Hubby finds something that is personally fulfilling, rewarding, and enjoyable - the whole "do what you love and the money will follow" concept.
In all of that happening last week my studies kind of fell by the wayside. I tried to study but couldn't focus on one single thing for longer than about 12 seconds. So now I'm playing catch up and hoping my grades don't suffer too much as a result. Next week is spring break, so I've got a bit of time to catch my breath and get caught up without new assignments being piled on. As far as continuing my studies, I figured out that we'll be better off financially if I stay in school and complete my degree, which will allow me to keep my student loans deferred and keep receiving the student loan overages that have helped us out so far. At least that's one area of my life that isn't getting massively changed as a result, there's some comfort to be found there.
So, yes, life threw us a curve ball this week, but you know what? It seems to me that struggle has been the norm over most of human history, and the prosperity and comfort the American culture of capitalism and consumption preaches as our due is really just a brief interlude. Maybe this is the the takehome lesson for America as a society: time to stop expecting things to come to you just because you think you deserve them, start working toward goals again, and accept setbacks as part of the process of moving forward. Life doesn't hand you a ribbon just for showing up, contrary to the culture in which many of today's young adults grew up. I'm still working on fleshing out these thoughts, because I think there is much more beneath the surface. What I know right now is, sometimes the obstacles placed in your way are not negatives, they are there to help guide you to a different path, the one that is right for you. Creating opportunity from challenge, that's what it's all about.
Peace,
AuntieM
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Oh Canada!
I just watched the wonderful gold medal hockey game between the US and Canada, and I couldn't resist commenting on how poetically beautiful the outcome was! The victory by Canada, in this dream matchup of teams, winning gold on their home ice and closing out the 2010 Winter Olympics was the perfect result. Even though theoretically I should be bummed since the US lost, I can't see any losers in this situation. I went through several tissues between the overtime sudden-death score by Team Canada and the conclusion of the Canadian national anthem, simply because I was so touched by the symmetry and meaning of it all. I'm sure the joy and pride of Canadian citizens right now is immeasurable, first because they have done a fantastic job of hosting the world in their country, and because hockey is such a big thing for Canadians.
Way to go Team Canada!!!
There's something about the Olympics that touches a soft spot in my heart, because it is an opportunity for nations to put aside their differences, to build relationships and friendships on the foundation of sport, to put nationalism aside in favor of sportsmanship. To me the Olympics are a peacemaking activity, and my only wish is that the spirit the Olympics engenders may last beyond the extinguishing of the Olympic flame.
The only negative note is the NHL's proclaimation that its players will not be allowed to compete in the 2014 Winter Games in Russia, due to the disruption the Olympics presents to the NHL's schedule. I think that if the NHL carries out this threat, hockey fans should boycott all NHL games held during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Can these shortsighted fools not see that exposing NHL players and hockey in general on the world stage will help bring more fans into the game, increasing TV ratings and ticket sales? They're too focused on the loss of immediate revenue to see the long-term potential, and to recognize the opportunity cost of grabbing for today's dollars while throwing tomorrow's dollars out the window. Come on NHL, where's your spirit? Why deprive your players of the chance to represent their countries, something that a fair number of them have undoubtedly dreamt about since childhood? That's just mean.
Peace (and anticipation of the 2012 Summer Games in London),
AuntieM
Way to go Team Canada!!!
There's something about the Olympics that touches a soft spot in my heart, because it is an opportunity for nations to put aside their differences, to build relationships and friendships on the foundation of sport, to put nationalism aside in favor of sportsmanship. To me the Olympics are a peacemaking activity, and my only wish is that the spirit the Olympics engenders may last beyond the extinguishing of the Olympic flame.
The only negative note is the NHL's proclaimation that its players will not be allowed to compete in the 2014 Winter Games in Russia, due to the disruption the Olympics presents to the NHL's schedule. I think that if the NHL carries out this threat, hockey fans should boycott all NHL games held during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Can these shortsighted fools not see that exposing NHL players and hockey in general on the world stage will help bring more fans into the game, increasing TV ratings and ticket sales? They're too focused on the loss of immediate revenue to see the long-term potential, and to recognize the opportunity cost of grabbing for today's dollars while throwing tomorrow's dollars out the window. Come on NHL, where's your spirit? Why deprive your players of the chance to represent their countries, something that a fair number of them have undoubtedly dreamt about since childhood? That's just mean.
Peace (and anticipation of the 2012 Summer Games in London),
AuntieM
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Proof we're on the right path, even though we still have a ways to go
Hi all,
Sometimes a picture (or in this case a chart) is worth a thousand words. That is why I am replicating the e-mail below from Obama for America. Hopefully they won't mind since I'm hopefully helping their message reach a wider audience.
"Wondering what the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- President Obama's stimulus bill -- has accomplished? Look at this:
One year ago tomorrow, after tens of thousands of you shared stories and called your representatives, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.And while this anniversary isn't a cause for celebration, there is reason to be optimistic. This chart makes it clear: We're on the road to recovery.Still, we know there is a long way to go. Many Americans are still struggling, and creating jobs remains President Obama's top priority.Click here to learn more about the President's record on the economy, what we're doing to put more Americans back to work, and get easy-to-share information you can pass on to friends and family:http://www.blogger.com/ Thanks for making change happen."
I don't know about you but I'm really tired of hearing Republicans complaining about the perceived lack of progress, particularly when obstructionist Republicans in Congress have been responsible for throwing sand into the machinery of reform at every opportunity. The chart above shows just hwo deeply we as a country were in the weeds by the end of the Bush II administration, and how much progress has been made to reverse job losses since Obama took office. I'm sharing this because it's hard to dispute factual evidence, and this is proof that under Obama's guidance our economy has started to turn around. Yes, lots of people are still out of work and I certainly feel for them and wish something could be done about this overnight, but it took us years to get into this mess and it's going to take us a while to dig ourselves out. But now at least we're on the right path, and we've got to stick with it.
Peace,
AuntieM
Sometimes a picture (or in this case a chart) is worth a thousand words. That is why I am replicating the e-mail below from Obama for America. Hopefully they won't mind since I'm hopefully helping their message reach a wider audience.
"Wondering what the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- President Obama's stimulus bill -- has accomplished? Look at this:
One year ago tomorrow, after tens of thousands of you shared stories and called your representatives, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.And while this anniversary isn't a cause for celebration, there is reason to be optimistic. This chart makes it clear: We're on the road to recovery.Still, we know there is a long way to go. Many Americans are still struggling, and creating jobs remains President Obama's top priority.Click here to learn more about the President's record on the economy, what we're doing to put more Americans back to work, and get easy-to-share information you can pass on to friends and family:http://www.blogger.com/ Thanks for making change happen."
I don't know about you but I'm really tired of hearing Republicans complaining about the perceived lack of progress, particularly when obstructionist Republicans in Congress have been responsible for throwing sand into the machinery of reform at every opportunity. The chart above shows just hwo deeply we as a country were in the weeds by the end of the Bush II administration, and how much progress has been made to reverse job losses since Obama took office. I'm sharing this because it's hard to dispute factual evidence, and this is proof that under Obama's guidance our economy has started to turn around. Yes, lots of people are still out of work and I certainly feel for them and wish something could be done about this overnight, but it took us years to get into this mess and it's going to take us a while to dig ourselves out. But now at least we're on the right path, and we've got to stick with it.
Peace,
AuntieM
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Blogging to fulfill a pledge
Hi all,
I don't know if you've heard about this (probably not unless you're already on board with Organzing for Obama) but they're running a campaign to mobilize volunteers to help spread the word, i.e. truth, about the reforms proposed by the Obama administration and to help combat Republican scare tactics and outright lies about what reform will do. After about 12 seconds of consideration I agreed to pledge time each week to this cause, partially because you can choose your own activity and decide where you can make the most difference. My activity to fulfill that pledge is this blog, which I really want to resurrect despite all my other commitments. I hope that enough people read this and pass it along to their networks for it to make a difference, because the midterm elections are going to be a referendum on the Obama administration's entire plan to turn this country around, and we can't afford for the Republican naysayers who want to maintain the failed status quo of the past to come out on top.
Hope you will check into this opportunity to make a difference and will join me and about a million other people in working to give Obama's reform strategy a fighting chance.
Thanks for reading.
Peace,
AuntieM
I don't know if you've heard about this (probably not unless you're already on board with Organzing for Obama) but they're running a campaign to mobilize volunteers to help spread the word, i.e. truth, about the reforms proposed by the Obama administration and to help combat Republican scare tactics and outright lies about what reform will do. After about 12 seconds of consideration I agreed to pledge time each week to this cause, partially because you can choose your own activity and decide where you can make the most difference. My activity to fulfill that pledge is this blog, which I really want to resurrect despite all my other commitments. I hope that enough people read this and pass it along to their networks for it to make a difference, because the midterm elections are going to be a referendum on the Obama administration's entire plan to turn this country around, and we can't afford for the Republican naysayers who want to maintain the failed status quo of the past to come out on top.
Hope you will check into this opportunity to make a difference and will join me and about a million other people in working to give Obama's reform strategy a fighting chance.
Thanks for reading.
Peace,
AuntieM
Saturday, January 30, 2010
I forgot, what's a blog again?
Holy cow, I didn't realize it's been nearly a YEAR since I posted! I'm afraid that life has been way too crazy for me to keep up with everything, and unfortunately this blog fell by the wayside. Never fear though, I'm still out there working to create change, just haven't been able to write about it for a long while.
In the past year, I've finished my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and begun working on a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. That alone has really kepy me off the streets. I'm also working more hours at my nonprofit, and trying to have some sort of a life with Hubby and friends. The second job I referenced in one of my last posts didn't go on for long, only about 3 months, until I was able to get more hours at my nonprofit. It was an interesting and educational experience, I have to say, but I'm glad I didn't have to stay there for an extended time. It got us through a tight financial spot though, so it served its purpose.
We have a new feline family member too, LittleOne. He's a Snowshoe, which is a mix of American Tabby and Standard Siamese. It's a recognized breed except by Cat Fancier's Association - come on CFA, get with the game! Never fear though, we adopted him from a shelter, we didn't buy him from a breeder. He's a bright-eyed, inquisitive, and very energetic little boy who likes to climb any vertical surface he can, including walls on occasion.
I also have an opportunity on the horizon which has me quite excited: this fall I will be adjunct faculty at the community college I once attended, teaching Sociology! This is one of the things i wanted to do with my life, and to have this opportunity present itself, especially at the school where I got my start, is an amazing gift. I feel that I benefitted tremendously from the assistance provided by this school, and this is an opportunity for me to pay some of that forward and hopefully help other students navigate their paths.
Okay, on to the main event: Did you watch the State of the Union address? I did, and was glued to it for its entirety. I've been a bit disconnected from politics lately because I've been so wrapped up in what's going on in my own life, and it was good to open my eyes and look around, even though I knew I wouldn't like a lot of what I saw, particularly after the appalling Republican victory in Massachusets. I thought Obama did a masterful job of calling out the obstructionist Republicans - there's no way they can claim to want bipartisanship when their standard tactic is to automatically oppose every new initiative presented by the Obama administration.
To the Republican politicians who have fought tooth and nail against health care reform: Why do you not want your constituents to have what you have, namely decent health coverage provided by the Federal government? Do you somehow think they don't deserve it, or that you're better than them? How can you, with any degree of conscience, ask your constituents to vote for you while denying them access to a basic need that you yourself are fortunate enough to have, courtesy of their tax dollars?
I did get quite excited when Obama talked about forgiving all student loans for those students who spend 10 years in public service - OMG, huge woohoo if that goes through!!! Hubby and I regularly discuss my mounting student loan debt and he has begun to express concerns over his upcoming retirement in light of that debt. Personally I had already resigned myself to paying student loans until the day I die, but if Obama's proposal goes through, then this could be an incredibly positive change that would go a long way toward helping us provide a stable and secure retirement for ourselves.
Obama is right though - it's not fair for people to amass massive loans so they can go into fields serving others, and then have to struggle to pay off those loans because the pay in public service-type jobs is traditionally lower than in other sectors. My nonprofit hosts interns from numerous universities, including some from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and I frequently hear about their tuition bills and debt loads. It's sad to think that these students are borrowing more to pay for one year of their education than I will have borrowed for my entire collegiate course of study, bachelors and masters combined. These hard-working students are paying $40K a year in tuition, and then frequently have to borrow more on top of that to cover living expenses because the internship requirements of their program make it not very feasible to hold down a paying job while in school. That all might be reasonable if they could look forward to six-figure salaries upon graduation, but entry-level jobs for MSW's tend to pay in the mid-$30's, at least around here. I have a lot of respect for these students because they go into this field with eyes open, knowing they won't ever be wealthy in monetary terms but eager and dedicated to helping others nonetheless.
All right, this turned into a long ramble when I originally just intended it to be a short note. At any rate, Auntie M is alive and well! My own course of study for my MPA is taking me on a fascinating intellectual journey, and is also opening doors at my own nonprofit because each course (and sometimes each chapter) clarifies and explains more about how my organization functions. This semester I'm taking Organizational Management and Change, Economics and Financial Management, and Information and Analysis Methods. Yes, the course titles sound dry, but I assure you they are actually quite riveting, and I am having the time of my life!
I have decided there is one more skillset I wish to acquire after my MPA, and that's accounting: I want to get my CPA. I am finding that I have tremendous interest in the financial side of nonprofits, I can't seem to get enough of the finance and economics classes, so this seems to be a natural addition. I broke this news to Hubby, who had long since declared that I need to be done with school after my MPA (and at the time I agreed), and his reaction (surprisingly) was "makes sense, go for it." It certainly helped that when I proposed this additional step it was with the caveat that I will take that one course at a time and pay for it as I go, no more student loan debt! (Even if it may be forgiven, no need to push it.)
Peace,
AuntieM
In the past year, I've finished my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and begun working on a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. That alone has really kepy me off the streets. I'm also working more hours at my nonprofit, and trying to have some sort of a life with Hubby and friends. The second job I referenced in one of my last posts didn't go on for long, only about 3 months, until I was able to get more hours at my nonprofit. It was an interesting and educational experience, I have to say, but I'm glad I didn't have to stay there for an extended time. It got us through a tight financial spot though, so it served its purpose.
We have a new feline family member too, LittleOne. He's a Snowshoe, which is a mix of American Tabby and Standard Siamese. It's a recognized breed except by Cat Fancier's Association - come on CFA, get with the game! Never fear though, we adopted him from a shelter, we didn't buy him from a breeder. He's a bright-eyed, inquisitive, and very energetic little boy who likes to climb any vertical surface he can, including walls on occasion.
I also have an opportunity on the horizon which has me quite excited: this fall I will be adjunct faculty at the community college I once attended, teaching Sociology! This is one of the things i wanted to do with my life, and to have this opportunity present itself, especially at the school where I got my start, is an amazing gift. I feel that I benefitted tremendously from the assistance provided by this school, and this is an opportunity for me to pay some of that forward and hopefully help other students navigate their paths.
Okay, on to the main event: Did you watch the State of the Union address? I did, and was glued to it for its entirety. I've been a bit disconnected from politics lately because I've been so wrapped up in what's going on in my own life, and it was good to open my eyes and look around, even though I knew I wouldn't like a lot of what I saw, particularly after the appalling Republican victory in Massachusets. I thought Obama did a masterful job of calling out the obstructionist Republicans - there's no way they can claim to want bipartisanship when their standard tactic is to automatically oppose every new initiative presented by the Obama administration.
To the Republican politicians who have fought tooth and nail against health care reform: Why do you not want your constituents to have what you have, namely decent health coverage provided by the Federal government? Do you somehow think they don't deserve it, or that you're better than them? How can you, with any degree of conscience, ask your constituents to vote for you while denying them access to a basic need that you yourself are fortunate enough to have, courtesy of their tax dollars?
I did get quite excited when Obama talked about forgiving all student loans for those students who spend 10 years in public service - OMG, huge woohoo if that goes through!!! Hubby and I regularly discuss my mounting student loan debt and he has begun to express concerns over his upcoming retirement in light of that debt. Personally I had already resigned myself to paying student loans until the day I die, but if Obama's proposal goes through, then this could be an incredibly positive change that would go a long way toward helping us provide a stable and secure retirement for ourselves.
Obama is right though - it's not fair for people to amass massive loans so they can go into fields serving others, and then have to struggle to pay off those loans because the pay in public service-type jobs is traditionally lower than in other sectors. My nonprofit hosts interns from numerous universities, including some from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and I frequently hear about their tuition bills and debt loads. It's sad to think that these students are borrowing more to pay for one year of their education than I will have borrowed for my entire collegiate course of study, bachelors and masters combined. These hard-working students are paying $40K a year in tuition, and then frequently have to borrow more on top of that to cover living expenses because the internship requirements of their program make it not very feasible to hold down a paying job while in school. That all might be reasonable if they could look forward to six-figure salaries upon graduation, but entry-level jobs for MSW's tend to pay in the mid-$30's, at least around here. I have a lot of respect for these students because they go into this field with eyes open, knowing they won't ever be wealthy in monetary terms but eager and dedicated to helping others nonetheless.
All right, this turned into a long ramble when I originally just intended it to be a short note. At any rate, Auntie M is alive and well! My own course of study for my MPA is taking me on a fascinating intellectual journey, and is also opening doors at my own nonprofit because each course (and sometimes each chapter) clarifies and explains more about how my organization functions. This semester I'm taking Organizational Management and Change, Economics and Financial Management, and Information and Analysis Methods. Yes, the course titles sound dry, but I assure you they are actually quite riveting, and I am having the time of my life!
I have decided there is one more skillset I wish to acquire after my MPA, and that's accounting: I want to get my CPA. I am finding that I have tremendous interest in the financial side of nonprofits, I can't seem to get enough of the finance and economics classes, so this seems to be a natural addition. I broke this news to Hubby, who had long since declared that I need to be done with school after my MPA (and at the time I agreed), and his reaction (surprisingly) was "makes sense, go for it." It certainly helped that when I proposed this additional step it was with the caveat that I will take that one course at a time and pay for it as I go, no more student loan debt! (Even if it may be forgiven, no need to push it.)
Peace,
AuntieM
Saturday, February 28, 2009
McToxic
I made a major tactical error yesterday, one I'm still paying for today. I was getting ready to go to my second job and I realized that I'd need a snack around break time but didn't want to get chips from the vending machine. I had no time to prepare anything, so I went through a McDonalds drive-thru and got a fish sandwich, fries and a diet Coke. I took that to work with me and ate it at break time. So far so good. A couple of hours later I was already off work and at the grocery store, doing late-night shopping so I could stay home today, when the effects of my McMeal began to make themselves felt. Within a few minutes I was utterly miserable, suffering from a wide variety of symptoms ranging from gastric upset to a complete lack of energy. Have you ever felt so drained that lying on the couch was too much of an effort, but so was getting up to go to bed? That's how my McMeal made me feel: there's something McToxic about McDonald's food. I don't know what it is, I don't know if it's only certain items that are bad for me, and I don't know if I'm affected while others aren't or if they just don't connect feeling McCrappy after eating McFood.
This morning when I woke up (two hours later than my usual time and still feeling exhausted) I was much hungrier than usual, as if my body had been starved of something. Like maybe nutritious food. I'm on the mend now, I think because I've focused on healthy, basic, unprocessed foods today, and my energy is beginning to return to normal. I think my fast food McHangover is finally subsiding, but for me the residual effect is to write this post as a warning to others.
If you eat McFood regularly my question is: how can you stand it? Or are you just so used to feeling bad that it's your norm? I used to incorporate quite a bit of fast food into my diet but in the last couple of years my body has begun to say "No more." Now I rely on fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, cheese, hormone-free milk, soy protein and a little meat to make up my diet. It's amazing what getting real energy from real food feels like. You should try it sometime.
Here's a typical day's menu for me:
Breakfast: bran cereal w/milk, banana, orange juice, tea or coffee
Lunch (on workdays): a low-fat entree with lots of veggies, maybe with tofu as the protein, from one of the wonderful neighborhood restaurants near my office. The closest I ever come to fast food at lunch is Subway or Quiznos. When I'm not working I cook breakfast for Hubby in the early afternoon so for me it's breakfast for lunch, usually eggs, cereal and fruit.
Dinner: something home-cooked and wholesome, with whole grains and veggies. If Hubby is home the meal will usually contain meat; if I'm alone then beans and rice with salad or other veggies is a likely choice.
Snacks: Not many, although I do bake regularly and sometimes I indulge in a slice of cake or a brownie, but I know what's not in them: High Fructose Corn Syrup, transfats, preservatives.
Notice what's missing: soda, candy, burgers, fries, fake food of various descriptions. Seems almost un-American, doesn't it? After all, our culture runs on convenience and immediate gratification, which is why McFood has become so prevalent in our country. However, if you actually give it a try it's amazing how much you can improve your diet, and your energy level, without significantly increasing the cost and time invovled in food preparation.
Here's a quick and easy recipe for a satisfying cold salad:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kernel corn, drained
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tomato, diced
Italian salad dressing or vinaigrette dressing
Throw everything together in a bowl, mix well and let sit overnight in the fridge. Pack some of this in a container for a fast and nutritious lunch that will keep you fueled up without weighing you down, and just see if you don't feel better than when you succumb to the lure of McFood.
I guess my whole rant boils down to "you are what you eat." So don't eat McCrap.
Peace,
AuntieM
This morning when I woke up (two hours later than my usual time and still feeling exhausted) I was much hungrier than usual, as if my body had been starved of something. Like maybe nutritious food. I'm on the mend now, I think because I've focused on healthy, basic, unprocessed foods today, and my energy is beginning to return to normal. I think my fast food McHangover is finally subsiding, but for me the residual effect is to write this post as a warning to others.
If you eat McFood regularly my question is: how can you stand it? Or are you just so used to feeling bad that it's your norm? I used to incorporate quite a bit of fast food into my diet but in the last couple of years my body has begun to say "No more." Now I rely on fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, cheese, hormone-free milk, soy protein and a little meat to make up my diet. It's amazing what getting real energy from real food feels like. You should try it sometime.
Here's a typical day's menu for me:
Breakfast: bran cereal w/milk, banana, orange juice, tea or coffee
Lunch (on workdays): a low-fat entree with lots of veggies, maybe with tofu as the protein, from one of the wonderful neighborhood restaurants near my office. The closest I ever come to fast food at lunch is Subway or Quiznos. When I'm not working I cook breakfast for Hubby in the early afternoon so for me it's breakfast for lunch, usually eggs, cereal and fruit.
Dinner: something home-cooked and wholesome, with whole grains and veggies. If Hubby is home the meal will usually contain meat; if I'm alone then beans and rice with salad or other veggies is a likely choice.
Snacks: Not many, although I do bake regularly and sometimes I indulge in a slice of cake or a brownie, but I know what's not in them: High Fructose Corn Syrup, transfats, preservatives.
Notice what's missing: soda, candy, burgers, fries, fake food of various descriptions. Seems almost un-American, doesn't it? After all, our culture runs on convenience and immediate gratification, which is why McFood has become so prevalent in our country. However, if you actually give it a try it's amazing how much you can improve your diet, and your energy level, without significantly increasing the cost and time invovled in food preparation.
Here's a quick and easy recipe for a satisfying cold salad:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kernel corn, drained
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tomato, diced
Italian salad dressing or vinaigrette dressing
Throw everything together in a bowl, mix well and let sit overnight in the fridge. Pack some of this in a container for a fast and nutritious lunch that will keep you fueled up without weighing you down, and just see if you don't feel better than when you succumb to the lure of McFood.
I guess my whole rant boils down to "you are what you eat." So don't eat McCrap.
Peace,
AuntieM
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
I'm doing my part
Did you watch President Obama’s address to Congress last night? I hope you did because it was epic, it was Kennedy-esque, and it was beautiful. Hubby and I watched it and several times we both had tears running down our cheeks. I know we’re in a jam right now with the economy tanking, but Obama’s speech was full of hope and optimism for the future, a future that we can get reach if we work together. I liked that the financial part of Obama’s speech was straightforward and focused on the problems, not who caused them. Early on in his speech Obama passed up a golden opportunity to slam the policies of the Bush administration as the reason we’re in this mess, but Obama is too much of a class act to stoop to those measures, while I would have done it for a cheap laugh. Guess that’s why I’m not President. He also very correctly stated that the root of our financial mess lies in decisions made nearly three decades ago (hello Reagan administration) and one of the things that started this mess was Reagan’s wholesale deregulation of giant swaths of the private sector. Without government oversight it was only a matter of time before the endless drive for profits led to the economic house of cards that is coming down around our ears today.
So where’s hope in all of this, you may wonder. Hope is in the steps we can take today to build a better tomorrow. Hope is in using our ingenuity and creativity to rebuild our country in a sustainable 21st century model that will run on alternative and environmentally-friendly fuels. Hope is in reminding the parents of this country, as Obama did so eloquently, that they are ultimately responsible for their kids’ education – turn off the television, unplug the video games, make sure the kids do their homework, go to those parent-teacher conferences, set a good example and make sure your kids understand that education is their key to a better future. In the same vein, Obama called on each and every one of us to embrace the idea that education is the future for us all and strive toward making the US the best-educated nation on the planet by committing to at least 1 year of higher education or continued education during his first term as President. “I’m doing my part!” should be the mantra of every student, whether it’s a child who goes to school instead of ditching or cutting class, or an adult who pulls those long nights to attend classes after a full day’s work. Yes, it’s tough to hang in there and complete a course of study, and it requires postponement of gratification. Sure, I’d love to be vegging in front of a “House” marathon instead of writing an essay exam for a class (which is what I was doing before I broke off to write this post) but there will be lots more “House” marathons after I finish my exam, while going to school is an opportunity I didn’t think I would have again so I’m making the most of it this time.
This leads me right into the tax credit Obama announced for paying tuition, a $2500 tax credit that made me sit straight up on the couch and go WooHoo! That’s an improvement over the existing educational tax credits, and one that I hope will also be good for grad school, not just undergraduate work. You know the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit, right? Okay, here it is in a nutshell: a tax deduction reduces your taxable income, so it lowers the amount of taxes you have to pay. A tax credit is much more valuable because it is like extra money that goes toward paying your taxes, and each dollar of a tax credit has the same value as each dollar you paid in taxes from your paychecks over the course of the year. So if you paid $3,000 in taxes but your total tax bill is $4,000, without any tax credits you owe $1,000. But if you have a tax credit, say Obama’s $2,500 educational tax credit, then it’s like you’ve actually paid a total of $5,500 against a tax bill of $4,000 so you get a $1,500 refund. It’s just that simple and that sweet.
After watching Obama’s speech I felt proud that I’m already working to improve my education, proud that I already work in the nonprofit sector and am helping people improve their lives, humbled by the faith and trust that Obama places in each and every one of us to work with him to make our country a better place, eager to get started with the work that lies ahead, and hopeful that we can all create a better, brighter future. Optimism, what a wonderful feeling. Now let’s get to work.
Peace,
AuntieM
So where’s hope in all of this, you may wonder. Hope is in the steps we can take today to build a better tomorrow. Hope is in using our ingenuity and creativity to rebuild our country in a sustainable 21st century model that will run on alternative and environmentally-friendly fuels. Hope is in reminding the parents of this country, as Obama did so eloquently, that they are ultimately responsible for their kids’ education – turn off the television, unplug the video games, make sure the kids do their homework, go to those parent-teacher conferences, set a good example and make sure your kids understand that education is their key to a better future. In the same vein, Obama called on each and every one of us to embrace the idea that education is the future for us all and strive toward making the US the best-educated nation on the planet by committing to at least 1 year of higher education or continued education during his first term as President. “I’m doing my part!” should be the mantra of every student, whether it’s a child who goes to school instead of ditching or cutting class, or an adult who pulls those long nights to attend classes after a full day’s work. Yes, it’s tough to hang in there and complete a course of study, and it requires postponement of gratification. Sure, I’d love to be vegging in front of a “House” marathon instead of writing an essay exam for a class (which is what I was doing before I broke off to write this post) but there will be lots more “House” marathons after I finish my exam, while going to school is an opportunity I didn’t think I would have again so I’m making the most of it this time.
This leads me right into the tax credit Obama announced for paying tuition, a $2500 tax credit that made me sit straight up on the couch and go WooHoo! That’s an improvement over the existing educational tax credits, and one that I hope will also be good for grad school, not just undergraduate work. You know the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit, right? Okay, here it is in a nutshell: a tax deduction reduces your taxable income, so it lowers the amount of taxes you have to pay. A tax credit is much more valuable because it is like extra money that goes toward paying your taxes, and each dollar of a tax credit has the same value as each dollar you paid in taxes from your paychecks over the course of the year. So if you paid $3,000 in taxes but your total tax bill is $4,000, without any tax credits you owe $1,000. But if you have a tax credit, say Obama’s $2,500 educational tax credit, then it’s like you’ve actually paid a total of $5,500 against a tax bill of $4,000 so you get a $1,500 refund. It’s just that simple and that sweet.
After watching Obama’s speech I felt proud that I’m already working to improve my education, proud that I already work in the nonprofit sector and am helping people improve their lives, humbled by the faith and trust that Obama places in each and every one of us to work with him to make our country a better place, eager to get started with the work that lies ahead, and hopeful that we can all create a better, brighter future. Optimism, what a wonderful feeling. Now let’s get to work.
Peace,
AuntieM
Saturday, February 21, 2009
I'm baaaaack...
Hi all,
No you're not seeing things, here's a new post from AuntieM! I didn't fall off the edge of the earth, and I didn't pay an involuntary visit to Gitmo, I've just been crazy scary busy for the last four months. It's not that I didn't think about this blog, I just didn't have the time or energy. The election wore me out but it was a fantastic kind of tired. I spent lots of my free time working on the Obama campaign, then after the election it was exams, then the dreaded few weeks of holiday hell. Included in that was taking my GRE and getting into grad school, finding a second job, taking care of a sick cat that we eventually had to have put down (a moment of silence in memory of BoyCat, please. Thank you.), and trying to maintain some semblance of a life with Hubby, GirlCat and friends.
All in all it's been a wild four months but I'm starting to get my feet under me again and things are beginning to stabilize. I'm still getting my act together in regards to juggling two jobs and a full-time course load, so I have dedicated this weekend to catching up on school work. One of the items I had to complete was a post for my Global Issues class, in which my professor posted some questions that were so interesting that I wanted to preserve my response for posterity. Here we go:
The questions: Do you think that defending national security means having to give up some personal freedoms? Would you mind if government officials read your emails or listened in on your telephone conversations to be sure you were not planning to engage in terrorism? Why or why not? Explain your position.
My answer: Benjamin Franklin said “Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.” I do not believe that the way to defend our essential liberties is to forfeit them in exchange for a false sense of security. Defending the security of this nation should include preserving the personal freedoms that characterize this country, not giving them up the moment the threat level goes to ‘orange’. Surrendering our freedoms means living in a police state instead of a democracy.
Government surveillance of individuals doesn’t increase our security; on the contrary, it makes us all suspects. Our legal system is based on the premise of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, but in the case of government surveillance, the reverse is true for each and every citizen. I would object strenuously to any form of government surveillance on a private citizen without probable cause and a court order. (And I’ve often wondered just who in Washington is reading my blog. First Amendment rights, baby, use them or lose them.) I can hear echoes of a phrase used in movies: “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.” But we should fear plenty when our government starts snooping in our private lives and personal correspondence. We should fear being detained indefinitely without due process. We should fear being questioned and having to justify our actions on seemingly innocent matters. We should fear having to watch our speech and wonder who is listening. We should fear when our own country, which has long claimed the moral high ground on human rights and condemned countries that utilize torture, uses “intensive interrogation” or whatever euphemism they use to put a happy face on waterboarding and other means of torture. If we have to give up our personal liberties, then we might as well surrender because we’ve already lost ourselves and our country.
It feels sooooo good to rant and rabblerouse again! I'll be back again soon, but now I must return to the homework marathon. Two classes done so far today, two more to go by tomorrow night. Repeat after me: I can do anything for one semester.
Later,
AuntieM
No you're not seeing things, here's a new post from AuntieM! I didn't fall off the edge of the earth, and I didn't pay an involuntary visit to Gitmo, I've just been crazy scary busy for the last four months. It's not that I didn't think about this blog, I just didn't have the time or energy. The election wore me out but it was a fantastic kind of tired. I spent lots of my free time working on the Obama campaign, then after the election it was exams, then the dreaded few weeks of holiday hell. Included in that was taking my GRE and getting into grad school, finding a second job, taking care of a sick cat that we eventually had to have put down (a moment of silence in memory of BoyCat, please. Thank you.), and trying to maintain some semblance of a life with Hubby, GirlCat and friends.
All in all it's been a wild four months but I'm starting to get my feet under me again and things are beginning to stabilize. I'm still getting my act together in regards to juggling two jobs and a full-time course load, so I have dedicated this weekend to catching up on school work. One of the items I had to complete was a post for my Global Issues class, in which my professor posted some questions that were so interesting that I wanted to preserve my response for posterity. Here we go:
The questions: Do you think that defending national security means having to give up some personal freedoms? Would you mind if government officials read your emails or listened in on your telephone conversations to be sure you were not planning to engage in terrorism? Why or why not? Explain your position.
My answer: Benjamin Franklin said “Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.” I do not believe that the way to defend our essential liberties is to forfeit them in exchange for a false sense of security. Defending the security of this nation should include preserving the personal freedoms that characterize this country, not giving them up the moment the threat level goes to ‘orange’. Surrendering our freedoms means living in a police state instead of a democracy.
Government surveillance of individuals doesn’t increase our security; on the contrary, it makes us all suspects. Our legal system is based on the premise of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, but in the case of government surveillance, the reverse is true for each and every citizen. I would object strenuously to any form of government surveillance on a private citizen without probable cause and a court order. (And I’ve often wondered just who in Washington is reading my blog. First Amendment rights, baby, use them or lose them.) I can hear echoes of a phrase used in movies: “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.” But we should fear plenty when our government starts snooping in our private lives and personal correspondence. We should fear being detained indefinitely without due process. We should fear being questioned and having to justify our actions on seemingly innocent matters. We should fear having to watch our speech and wonder who is listening. We should fear when our own country, which has long claimed the moral high ground on human rights and condemned countries that utilize torture, uses “intensive interrogation” or whatever euphemism they use to put a happy face on waterboarding and other means of torture. If we have to give up our personal liberties, then we might as well surrender because we’ve already lost ourselves and our country.
It feels sooooo good to rant and rabblerouse again! I'll be back again soon, but now I must return to the homework marathon. Two classes done so far today, two more to go by tomorrow night. Repeat after me: I can do anything for one semester.
Later,
AuntieM
Friday, October 24, 2008
Local politics, part deux
Yes, I know I took my sweet time getting back to this, but I have a one-word excuse: midterms. Anyway, I’ll resume where I left off in my analysis of Colorado’s proposed amendments and referenda.
Amendment 54 is the third and final union-weakening measure on the Colorado ballot. In a nutshell, this amendment prohibits labor unions from participating in the political process if their companies hold contracts with the state. It keeps labor unions from being able to participate in the political process or contribute to a political party, organization or candidate. The time frame of this restriction extends two years past the end of the contract. The best way I can explain it is through analogy: you work for a company that makes widgets, and your company is a union shop. You make the best widgets around, and the state gives you a contract to supply them with widgets for the next five years. Under Amendment 54 because your company accepted this state contract, your union is forbidden from participating in the political process in any way for the next seven years. Amendment 54 silences the voice of organized labor, and is a very bad idea.
AuntieM’s vote: NO on 54.
Amendment 55 – Wow, what happened? An amendment that’s actually pro-worker rights made it onto the ballot? What is this state coming to? Seriously, Amendment 55 restricts the reasons that employers can fire employees, albeit to a pretty broad list, but all of the items on the list are legitimate misconduct-type offenses that, in my opinion, would warrant termination. Under Amendment 55 an employer may fire an employee for any of the following reasons:
· Incompetence
· Substandard performance or neglect of job duties
· Repeated violations of an employer’s written policies and procedures related to job performance
· Gross insubordination or willful misconduct that affects job performance
· Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude
· Employer bankruptcy
· Documented adverse economic circumstances that directly affect the employer.
These reasons are considered “just causes” under Amendment 55. Under current Colorado law, an employer may fire an employee for any reason or no reason whatsoever, and the employee has no recourse because Colorado is an at-will employment state. That’s a tricky way of saying you’re on your own when it comes to employment issues, unless you are protected by a union. Amendment 55 will go a long way to rectify that. This amendment also makes it possible for an employee who believes he or she was fired or suspended for an invalid reason to sue the employer, presumably for back wages, emotional distress, damage to reputation, etc. This measure will help provide job security and protection for Colorado workers.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 55.
Amendment 56 requires employers to provide health insurance for employees and dependents, either through a private plan or through a plan to be set up by the state, and places percentage caps on how much an employee may be required to contribute toward the cost of this coverage. In all honesty, I wrestled with this decision for quite a while, and Hubby and I spent some time talking this one over. I was on the fence about requiring small employers to purchase health insurance because I know just how painfully expensive it can be to cover a small group – when a group is too small to establish a decent-sized risk pool, the premiums are simply obscene. Then I thought about this state plan and realized that it would most likely present an affordable option, and even if it’s simply a way to buy into Medicaid, that’s better coverage than thousands of Coloradans have today, namely none. Plus, reducing the number of uninsured is the best way to curb increases in health care and bring health insurance premiums down into a reasonable range. When hospitals and doctors aren’t having to increase their rates to cover the unpaid bills of the uninsured, because insurance is now affordable, then everyone wins. After I worked through all of this, my choice was clear: Amendment 56 will benefit all Coloradans, either directly or indirectly, and the creation of a state-established health plan will give employers an affordable choice.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 56.
Amendment 57 is another amendment that will help improve conditions for working Coloradans by stiffening the standards of workplace safety and health with which employers must comply. Under Amendment 57 an employee will also have the right to sue an employer if the employer fails to maintain a safe and healthy working environment and the employee is injured or sickened as a result. We all deserve safe and healthy workplaces, and until we all have unions to fight for them on our behalf, we need legislation to mandate them, as well as a penalty (in the form of the lawsuit portion of this amendment) for employers who choose not to comply.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 57.
Amendment 58 ends a tax credit for energy-producing companies, which was enacted way back when as a means to encourage energy exploration (mining, drilling) in Colorado. We don’t need to spend tax dollars to subsidize energy companies that are making record profits while we struggle to fill our gas tanks and pay our heating bills. Opponents of this measure have tried to use scare tactics that predict skyrocketing energy bills due to energy companies trying to recoup the lost subsidies through rate increases. We may indeed see increases in our energy bills, but that’s all part of the wonder that is capitalism. (Please note sarcasm.) The loss of these tax credits will increase the amount of severance tax these companies pay, which goes to support education, scholarships, wildlife, clean energy, and open spaces. I’d rather take my chances on a higher energy bill and know that my tax dollars are no longer helping to line the pockets of energy company executives.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 58.
Amendment 59 permanently funnels excess funds into a newly-created education savings account, to be used specifically for preschool-12th grade education. Under TABOR any excess funds collected by the state must be refunded to the taxpayers. Amendment 59 does away with these TABOR refunds permanently. Funds from the education savings account may be spent at the discretion of the legislature with a 2/3 majority vote, unless the state experienced less than 6% growth (as it will in many years), and then only a simple majority is required. This is another amendment I wrestled with before making a decision, because on the one hand education needs funding, but on the other hand this amendment may not actually increase education funding – if the state is able to draw from this savings account to cover education expenses, they are likely to funnel existing education dollars from the budget into other projects such as roads. So Amendment 59 is actually smoke and mirrors, a way for the state to utilize TABOR funds in perpetuity without actually committing to using those funds for any specific purpose. Yes, education needs funding but this isn’t the way to do it.
AuntieM’s vote: NO on 59.
Referendum L lowers the minimum age for serving in the state legislature from 25 to 21. According to the Blue Book, “All 50 states have age requirements for members of their state legislatures, ranging from 18 to 30 years old.” Also, “Twenty-six states, including Colorado, require that members of the senate be at least 25 years old, with seven of those states having an even higher age requirement.” I wonder just how many 21-24 year olds would run for office if given the chance? I think that requiring a few years’ experience as an adult is a good thing for a publicly elected official, because there’s no denying that age does bring perspective. While I do believe anything that encourages younger people to participate in the political process is a good thing, there are entry-level local offices open to people under age 25. It’s not like they’re completely barred from running for office, and the period between 21 and 24 is a vitally important opportunity for these precocious politicos to get some much-needed experience. I think that Referendum L is unnecessary and unwise.
AuntieM’s vote: NO on Referendum L.
Referendum M eliminates a no longer needed tax incentive for planting orchards by not taxing the increase in land value that the orchards created. This measure was put into place in 1876. This is an attempt to clean up unneeded legislation that is cluttering Colorado’s constitution. This measure is no longer viable because another section of the constitution defines allowable tax exemptions, so this item is simply clutter that needs to be removed.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on Referendum M.
Referendum N removes another obsolete constitutional measure that set standards of purity and regulation for alcoholic beverages, functions that have since been taken over by the federal government. Since this measure no longer serves a viable purpose, it should be removed from Colorado’s constitution.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on Referendum N.
Referendum O changes the process of putting amendments and referenda on the Colorado ballot. It increases the number of signatures required for a constitutional amendment and specifies that a certain percentage of signatures must come from each congressional district, indicating statewide support for an amendment. The exact number of signatures required varies from year to year, and will continue to vary – currently to get anything on the ballot you have to collect 5% of the number of votes cast for Secretary of State, or 76,047 signatures to get an amendment or referendum on the 2008 ballot. Referendum O will increase that number to 6 percent of votes cast for governor, which would have equaled 93,497 signatures in 2008, and of these signatures 8 percent would have to come from each of Colorado’s congressional districts. Referendum O actually makes it easier to get a referendum on the ballot by reducing the number of signatures required to 4 percent of the number of votes for governor, or 62,331 signatures for 2008, with no requirement of demonstrated statewide support. In my opinion Referendum O seeks to reduce the number of frivolous amendments (hello Amendment 48!) pushed onto the ballot by small but vocal minorities) and amendments that seek to benefit only specific geographic areas or persons within those areas (hello Amendment 50 – did you know that almost all of the petition signatures were gathered in Black Hawk from visitors to the casinos? True.) I like Referendum O because it may well work to prevent massively long ballots such as the one we’re facing this year, and allow us to spend our time considering better thought-out legislative changes.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on Referendum O.
Amendment 54 is the third and final union-weakening measure on the Colorado ballot. In a nutshell, this amendment prohibits labor unions from participating in the political process if their companies hold contracts with the state. It keeps labor unions from being able to participate in the political process or contribute to a political party, organization or candidate. The time frame of this restriction extends two years past the end of the contract. The best way I can explain it is through analogy: you work for a company that makes widgets, and your company is a union shop. You make the best widgets around, and the state gives you a contract to supply them with widgets for the next five years. Under Amendment 54 because your company accepted this state contract, your union is forbidden from participating in the political process in any way for the next seven years. Amendment 54 silences the voice of organized labor, and is a very bad idea.
AuntieM’s vote: NO on 54.
Amendment 55 – Wow, what happened? An amendment that’s actually pro-worker rights made it onto the ballot? What is this state coming to? Seriously, Amendment 55 restricts the reasons that employers can fire employees, albeit to a pretty broad list, but all of the items on the list are legitimate misconduct-type offenses that, in my opinion, would warrant termination. Under Amendment 55 an employer may fire an employee for any of the following reasons:
· Incompetence
· Substandard performance or neglect of job duties
· Repeated violations of an employer’s written policies and procedures related to job performance
· Gross insubordination or willful misconduct that affects job performance
· Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude
· Employer bankruptcy
· Documented adverse economic circumstances that directly affect the employer.
These reasons are considered “just causes” under Amendment 55. Under current Colorado law, an employer may fire an employee for any reason or no reason whatsoever, and the employee has no recourse because Colorado is an at-will employment state. That’s a tricky way of saying you’re on your own when it comes to employment issues, unless you are protected by a union. Amendment 55 will go a long way to rectify that. This amendment also makes it possible for an employee who believes he or she was fired or suspended for an invalid reason to sue the employer, presumably for back wages, emotional distress, damage to reputation, etc. This measure will help provide job security and protection for Colorado workers.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 55.
Amendment 56 requires employers to provide health insurance for employees and dependents, either through a private plan or through a plan to be set up by the state, and places percentage caps on how much an employee may be required to contribute toward the cost of this coverage. In all honesty, I wrestled with this decision for quite a while, and Hubby and I spent some time talking this one over. I was on the fence about requiring small employers to purchase health insurance because I know just how painfully expensive it can be to cover a small group – when a group is too small to establish a decent-sized risk pool, the premiums are simply obscene. Then I thought about this state plan and realized that it would most likely present an affordable option, and even if it’s simply a way to buy into Medicaid, that’s better coverage than thousands of Coloradans have today, namely none. Plus, reducing the number of uninsured is the best way to curb increases in health care and bring health insurance premiums down into a reasonable range. When hospitals and doctors aren’t having to increase their rates to cover the unpaid bills of the uninsured, because insurance is now affordable, then everyone wins. After I worked through all of this, my choice was clear: Amendment 56 will benefit all Coloradans, either directly or indirectly, and the creation of a state-established health plan will give employers an affordable choice.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 56.
Amendment 57 is another amendment that will help improve conditions for working Coloradans by stiffening the standards of workplace safety and health with which employers must comply. Under Amendment 57 an employee will also have the right to sue an employer if the employer fails to maintain a safe and healthy working environment and the employee is injured or sickened as a result. We all deserve safe and healthy workplaces, and until we all have unions to fight for them on our behalf, we need legislation to mandate them, as well as a penalty (in the form of the lawsuit portion of this amendment) for employers who choose not to comply.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 57.
Amendment 58 ends a tax credit for energy-producing companies, which was enacted way back when as a means to encourage energy exploration (mining, drilling) in Colorado. We don’t need to spend tax dollars to subsidize energy companies that are making record profits while we struggle to fill our gas tanks and pay our heating bills. Opponents of this measure have tried to use scare tactics that predict skyrocketing energy bills due to energy companies trying to recoup the lost subsidies through rate increases. We may indeed see increases in our energy bills, but that’s all part of the wonder that is capitalism. (Please note sarcasm.) The loss of these tax credits will increase the amount of severance tax these companies pay, which goes to support education, scholarships, wildlife, clean energy, and open spaces. I’d rather take my chances on a higher energy bill and know that my tax dollars are no longer helping to line the pockets of energy company executives.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on 58.
Amendment 59 permanently funnels excess funds into a newly-created education savings account, to be used specifically for preschool-12th grade education. Under TABOR any excess funds collected by the state must be refunded to the taxpayers. Amendment 59 does away with these TABOR refunds permanently. Funds from the education savings account may be spent at the discretion of the legislature with a 2/3 majority vote, unless the state experienced less than 6% growth (as it will in many years), and then only a simple majority is required. This is another amendment I wrestled with before making a decision, because on the one hand education needs funding, but on the other hand this amendment may not actually increase education funding – if the state is able to draw from this savings account to cover education expenses, they are likely to funnel existing education dollars from the budget into other projects such as roads. So Amendment 59 is actually smoke and mirrors, a way for the state to utilize TABOR funds in perpetuity without actually committing to using those funds for any specific purpose. Yes, education needs funding but this isn’t the way to do it.
AuntieM’s vote: NO on 59.
Referendum L lowers the minimum age for serving in the state legislature from 25 to 21. According to the Blue Book, “All 50 states have age requirements for members of their state legislatures, ranging from 18 to 30 years old.” Also, “Twenty-six states, including Colorado, require that members of the senate be at least 25 years old, with seven of those states having an even higher age requirement.” I wonder just how many 21-24 year olds would run for office if given the chance? I think that requiring a few years’ experience as an adult is a good thing for a publicly elected official, because there’s no denying that age does bring perspective. While I do believe anything that encourages younger people to participate in the political process is a good thing, there are entry-level local offices open to people under age 25. It’s not like they’re completely barred from running for office, and the period between 21 and 24 is a vitally important opportunity for these precocious politicos to get some much-needed experience. I think that Referendum L is unnecessary and unwise.
AuntieM’s vote: NO on Referendum L.
Referendum M eliminates a no longer needed tax incentive for planting orchards by not taxing the increase in land value that the orchards created. This measure was put into place in 1876. This is an attempt to clean up unneeded legislation that is cluttering Colorado’s constitution. This measure is no longer viable because another section of the constitution defines allowable tax exemptions, so this item is simply clutter that needs to be removed.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on Referendum M.
Referendum N removes another obsolete constitutional measure that set standards of purity and regulation for alcoholic beverages, functions that have since been taken over by the federal government. Since this measure no longer serves a viable purpose, it should be removed from Colorado’s constitution.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on Referendum N.
Referendum O changes the process of putting amendments and referenda on the Colorado ballot. It increases the number of signatures required for a constitutional amendment and specifies that a certain percentage of signatures must come from each congressional district, indicating statewide support for an amendment. The exact number of signatures required varies from year to year, and will continue to vary – currently to get anything on the ballot you have to collect 5% of the number of votes cast for Secretary of State, or 76,047 signatures to get an amendment or referendum on the 2008 ballot. Referendum O will increase that number to 6 percent of votes cast for governor, which would have equaled 93,497 signatures in 2008, and of these signatures 8 percent would have to come from each of Colorado’s congressional districts. Referendum O actually makes it easier to get a referendum on the ballot by reducing the number of signatures required to 4 percent of the number of votes for governor, or 62,331 signatures for 2008, with no requirement of demonstrated statewide support. In my opinion Referendum O seeks to reduce the number of frivolous amendments (hello Amendment 48!) pushed onto the ballot by small but vocal minorities) and amendments that seek to benefit only specific geographic areas or persons within those areas (hello Amendment 50 – did you know that almost all of the petition signatures were gathered in Black Hawk from visitors to the casinos? True.) I like Referendum O because it may well work to prevent massively long ballots such as the one we’re facing this year, and allow us to spend our time considering better thought-out legislative changes.
AuntieM’s vote: YES on Referendum O.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Local politics matter too
National politics have kept me pretty busy lately, you betcha! Especially with the debates being so entertaining (wink, wink). But in the midst of all of that, we mustn't forget about our local political scene and the issues that, if passed, can have a direct impact on our lives. It's easy to let local politics slide, especially in the middle of a hotly contested, and, let's face it, highly amusing national election cycle, but right now I want to change my focus. Today I'm taking a short break from national politics to focus on state-level issues.
Here in Colorado we've got a longer ballot than we've had in the last 100 years, due to 14 different constitutional amendments and 4 different referenda, not even considering city and county-level issues. It's confusing to the point that I've started compiling a cheat-sheet to take with me to the polls, because I don't want to try to figure out important issues on the fly. Yes, I could get a mail-in ballot like all of the campaigns encourage, but call me stubborn, I like showing up at the polls on election day, that's kind of a ritual for Hubby and me. Our polling place is just a short walk from our house so we grab jackets and head on over after breakfast, enjoying the fall weather and discussing the issues and our hopes for the future. It's nice and I don't want to give that up, even for the convenience of voting from my couch.
Anyway, I've reviewed the first seven amendments to the Colorado Constitution, and here is what I've found so far: Not a single one of them is worthy of a yes-vote, either because I disagree with the basic reasoning behind the amendment, or because the amendment is procedurally flawed. Let's take them in order:
Amendment 46, in essence, revokes Affirmative Action, stopping short of reversing any federally-mandated programs. I'm kind of conflicted on this because on the one hand I don't want the legal system working from the position that I need special treatment because I'm female (like I can't compete with men on a level playing field), but on the other hand we haven't exactly achieved parity for women and minorities in employment and education, so I think some level of legal protection is still needed. In the end I chose a No vote because the amendment as written fails to define certain specific terminology that, in today's litigious society, would certainly result in numerous lawsuits. Once true racial, ethnic and gender equality is achieved, affirmative action legislation will no longer be needed, but it's too early to force such a sea change, our society just isn't ready.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 46.
Amendment 47 allows workers to work in a union shop without having to join the union. Hubby and I have had some intense conversations on this one because he's not a fan of unions while I am. He buys into the whole "right to work" line that proponents of this amendment are trumpeting, while I see this amendment as a potential union-busting tool that employers can (and will) use to weaken the power of collective bargaining. The labor laws of the past century are directly attributable to those union members who put their futures and sometimes their lives on the line to improve working conditions for all Americans, and legal tools such as Amendment 47 will work to undo their efforts, and invalidate their sacrifices. This is a rare occasion in which Hubby and I had to agree to disagree, but I'm firm in my resolve: Amendment 47 would be bad for all Colorado workers.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 47.
Amendment 48 is the most onerous amendment in this entire massive ballot. It decrees that personhood begins at the moment of conception, and if passed, will instantly outlaw all abortions, regardless of the reason. This amendment will eventually be used to overturn Roe v. Wade. It also potentially can prohibit certain forms of birth control, and will open up doctors to murder charges if they treat pregnant women and the treatment causes harm to the fetus. It may also open up pregnant women to child abuse charges if they don't live squeaky-clean lives while they are pregnant. Oh you had a drink? Child abuse! You smoked a cigarette? Child abuse! Amendment 48 will turn back the clock for the women of Colorado to a time before reliable birth control and safe and legal abortions, when we were completely at the mercy of our biology and had no legal protection or recourse. Do we really want to go back to back-alley coathanger abortions, and let the state tell us what we can and can't do with our bodies? NO!
AuntieM's vote - NO on 48.
Amendment 49 is another union-busting measure in disguise. It prohibits employers from taking payroll deductions for certain expenses and is being presented as a worker protection measure, but when you read the fine print the only deductions being prohibited are union dues. Proponents of this measure claim that those who want to pay union dues can arrange for automatic drafts from their own banks, but don't want employers to be able to take those deductions directly from paychecks. This measure simply creates more hassle for those who wish to belong to unions by making them take extra steps to pay their dues. It's a ridiculous measure that has no business being included in the Colorado Constitution.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 49.
Amendment 50 is another one that Hubby and I have discussed in great detail, but on this one we are in agreement. Amendment 50 seeks to allow residents in the three gaming towns to vote to increase the betting limits in Colorado casinos to $100, allow casinos to stay open 24 hours, and let them add games such as craps and roulette. Currently the limit on a single bet is $5, casinos must close between 2am and 8am, and they may only offer slots, video poker, blackjack and blackjack-type games, and live poker. This amendment is near and dear to both our hearts because I worked in Colorado casinos for 11 years, and Hubby still works in the casinos and has recently begun his 13th year in the gaming industry. So Amendment 50 is very pertinent for us. In addition, this amendment specifies that 78% of the increase in gaming revenues will go toward Colorado's community colleges, institutions that are near and dear to my heart because I graduated from one and hope to return to that very school as a remedial English instructor once I have my BA. Hubby and I both have a very personal stake in this one. So you'd think we are unified in our support of this amendment, but that's not the case. We're both quite opposed to it, for a variety of reasons. Hubby is concerned that if the above changes are in the hands of gaming town residents, the largest gaming town (Black Hawk) will immediately implement all the changes proposed and will drive Central City (where he works) out of business becaues Central City isn't as well positioned to take advantage of those changes. Black Hawk has spent the last decade building up its infrastructure to support just such a change (incidentally, in violation of current Colorado Gaming laws, though nothing has been done about that) while Central City has been hamstrung by a building moratorium that was passed by its residents in about 1994, severely restricting construction of new casinos in order to remain in compliance with gaming laws and to preserve the small-town character of their city. This is Hubby's biggest reason for not supporting this measure.
Corruption is also a significant issue in Black Hawk, and we both feel that this will present the Black Hawk powers-that-be with a brand new opportunity to line their pockets at taxpayers (and students) expense. I don't have much faith that the casinos would willingly funnel the full 78% of increased revenues to the community colleges, and so far I have not been able to determine adequately how those increases in revenues will be calculated. Without that information I am unwilling to support this measure. Plus, while I was in gaming, I always swore that the day they put in these changes would be the day I handed in my notice. The gaming industry is a real pressure-cooker of a work environment, and you wouldn't believe how high the burnout rates are. None of the casinos are unionized, so the workers are at the mercy of the casinos and must comply with some pretty draconian rules. If this measure passes, casinos will put even more pressure on their employees to work longer hours with shorter turnarounds between shifts, to avoid hiring additional staff, or to cope with the immediate growth created by such an amendment. Without union protection, employees who stand up against unreasonable demands will be subject to termination without recourse. It has happened before, it will happen again.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 50.
Amendment 51 is for a 0.2% sales tax increase, with the proceeds to go towards services for people with developmental disabilities. While this is a noble goal and a population in need, right now our economy is in such sorry shape that I don't think we need to jack up the sales tax rate right now. Sometimes I wonder about including stuff like this as a constitutional amendment; is it really appropriate? Do we want to mandate specific sales taxes in our constitution, or should it be considered at some other legislative level? Too many questions make it impossible for me to support this amendment.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 51.
Amendment 52 proposes that a chunk of state severance taxes (the tax the state receives for coal, oil and natural gas extracted) be funneled toward roads. Right now they fund water projects, wildlife conservation, low-income energy assistance, varous wildlife conservation, renewable energy, state parks and environmental programs, and regulatory needs. All of those programs are necessary, but they all lack vocal advocacy groups, while in every single election there is at least one initiative to increase road funding. I'm opposed to changing this funding structure because in recent years we've allocated millions upon millions toward roads, and at some point we simply have to say "enough, there are other worthy projects out there that should also be funded."
AuntieM's vote - NO on 52.
Amendment 53 deals with ethics in business, and creates criminal penalties for corporate executives, officers, directors, managing partners or proprietors of for-profit or nonprofit entities if their specific entity fails to perform duties that are required by law. On its face it sounds reasonable, but the fine print reveals that there's a loophole big enough to drive a corporate jet through: an executive can avoid any criminal liability by disclosing his company's activities to the attorney general at any time before criminal charges are filed. This measure won't improve corporate ethics, it will simply allow crooked executives to write their own get-out-of-jail-free card in the form of a letter to the AG, and as long as their lawyers are fast enough to get it delivered before charges are filed, the executive walks away scot-free. It may snare a few careless small businessmen, but the ones who commit theft and fraud on a gigantic scale will always be able to skate.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 53.
This weekend I hope to review the rest of the amendments, as well as the referenda, and will write about them in a subsequent post. In the meantime, I hope that each one of you is doing what I'm doing, finding unbiased information on political issues, learning about both sides, considering that information against your own beliefs and making rational choices. Only with that level of involvelement and dedication by citizens can a representative democracy truly function as such. Anything less and the elected politicians simply become shills for the loudest voices and deepest pockets.
Peace,
AuntieM
Here in Colorado we've got a longer ballot than we've had in the last 100 years, due to 14 different constitutional amendments and 4 different referenda, not even considering city and county-level issues. It's confusing to the point that I've started compiling a cheat-sheet to take with me to the polls, because I don't want to try to figure out important issues on the fly. Yes, I could get a mail-in ballot like all of the campaigns encourage, but call me stubborn, I like showing up at the polls on election day, that's kind of a ritual for Hubby and me. Our polling place is just a short walk from our house so we grab jackets and head on over after breakfast, enjoying the fall weather and discussing the issues and our hopes for the future. It's nice and I don't want to give that up, even for the convenience of voting from my couch.
Anyway, I've reviewed the first seven amendments to the Colorado Constitution, and here is what I've found so far: Not a single one of them is worthy of a yes-vote, either because I disagree with the basic reasoning behind the amendment, or because the amendment is procedurally flawed. Let's take them in order:
Amendment 46, in essence, revokes Affirmative Action, stopping short of reversing any federally-mandated programs. I'm kind of conflicted on this because on the one hand I don't want the legal system working from the position that I need special treatment because I'm female (like I can't compete with men on a level playing field), but on the other hand we haven't exactly achieved parity for women and minorities in employment and education, so I think some level of legal protection is still needed. In the end I chose a No vote because the amendment as written fails to define certain specific terminology that, in today's litigious society, would certainly result in numerous lawsuits. Once true racial, ethnic and gender equality is achieved, affirmative action legislation will no longer be needed, but it's too early to force such a sea change, our society just isn't ready.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 46.
Amendment 47 allows workers to work in a union shop without having to join the union. Hubby and I have had some intense conversations on this one because he's not a fan of unions while I am. He buys into the whole "right to work" line that proponents of this amendment are trumpeting, while I see this amendment as a potential union-busting tool that employers can (and will) use to weaken the power of collective bargaining. The labor laws of the past century are directly attributable to those union members who put their futures and sometimes their lives on the line to improve working conditions for all Americans, and legal tools such as Amendment 47 will work to undo their efforts, and invalidate their sacrifices. This is a rare occasion in which Hubby and I had to agree to disagree, but I'm firm in my resolve: Amendment 47 would be bad for all Colorado workers.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 47.
Amendment 48 is the most onerous amendment in this entire massive ballot. It decrees that personhood begins at the moment of conception, and if passed, will instantly outlaw all abortions, regardless of the reason. This amendment will eventually be used to overturn Roe v. Wade. It also potentially can prohibit certain forms of birth control, and will open up doctors to murder charges if they treat pregnant women and the treatment causes harm to the fetus. It may also open up pregnant women to child abuse charges if they don't live squeaky-clean lives while they are pregnant. Oh you had a drink? Child abuse! You smoked a cigarette? Child abuse! Amendment 48 will turn back the clock for the women of Colorado to a time before reliable birth control and safe and legal abortions, when we were completely at the mercy of our biology and had no legal protection or recourse. Do we really want to go back to back-alley coathanger abortions, and let the state tell us what we can and can't do with our bodies? NO!
AuntieM's vote - NO on 48.
Amendment 49 is another union-busting measure in disguise. It prohibits employers from taking payroll deductions for certain expenses and is being presented as a worker protection measure, but when you read the fine print the only deductions being prohibited are union dues. Proponents of this measure claim that those who want to pay union dues can arrange for automatic drafts from their own banks, but don't want employers to be able to take those deductions directly from paychecks. This measure simply creates more hassle for those who wish to belong to unions by making them take extra steps to pay their dues. It's a ridiculous measure that has no business being included in the Colorado Constitution.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 49.
Amendment 50 is another one that Hubby and I have discussed in great detail, but on this one we are in agreement. Amendment 50 seeks to allow residents in the three gaming towns to vote to increase the betting limits in Colorado casinos to $100, allow casinos to stay open 24 hours, and let them add games such as craps and roulette. Currently the limit on a single bet is $5, casinos must close between 2am and 8am, and they may only offer slots, video poker, blackjack and blackjack-type games, and live poker. This amendment is near and dear to both our hearts because I worked in Colorado casinos for 11 years, and Hubby still works in the casinos and has recently begun his 13th year in the gaming industry. So Amendment 50 is very pertinent for us. In addition, this amendment specifies that 78% of the increase in gaming revenues will go toward Colorado's community colleges, institutions that are near and dear to my heart because I graduated from one and hope to return to that very school as a remedial English instructor once I have my BA. Hubby and I both have a very personal stake in this one. So you'd think we are unified in our support of this amendment, but that's not the case. We're both quite opposed to it, for a variety of reasons. Hubby is concerned that if the above changes are in the hands of gaming town residents, the largest gaming town (Black Hawk) will immediately implement all the changes proposed and will drive Central City (where he works) out of business becaues Central City isn't as well positioned to take advantage of those changes. Black Hawk has spent the last decade building up its infrastructure to support just such a change (incidentally, in violation of current Colorado Gaming laws, though nothing has been done about that) while Central City has been hamstrung by a building moratorium that was passed by its residents in about 1994, severely restricting construction of new casinos in order to remain in compliance with gaming laws and to preserve the small-town character of their city. This is Hubby's biggest reason for not supporting this measure.
Corruption is also a significant issue in Black Hawk, and we both feel that this will present the Black Hawk powers-that-be with a brand new opportunity to line their pockets at taxpayers (and students) expense. I don't have much faith that the casinos would willingly funnel the full 78% of increased revenues to the community colleges, and so far I have not been able to determine adequately how those increases in revenues will be calculated. Without that information I am unwilling to support this measure. Plus, while I was in gaming, I always swore that the day they put in these changes would be the day I handed in my notice. The gaming industry is a real pressure-cooker of a work environment, and you wouldn't believe how high the burnout rates are. None of the casinos are unionized, so the workers are at the mercy of the casinos and must comply with some pretty draconian rules. If this measure passes, casinos will put even more pressure on their employees to work longer hours with shorter turnarounds between shifts, to avoid hiring additional staff, or to cope with the immediate growth created by such an amendment. Without union protection, employees who stand up against unreasonable demands will be subject to termination without recourse. It has happened before, it will happen again.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 50.
Amendment 51 is for a 0.2% sales tax increase, with the proceeds to go towards services for people with developmental disabilities. While this is a noble goal and a population in need, right now our economy is in such sorry shape that I don't think we need to jack up the sales tax rate right now. Sometimes I wonder about including stuff like this as a constitutional amendment; is it really appropriate? Do we want to mandate specific sales taxes in our constitution, or should it be considered at some other legislative level? Too many questions make it impossible for me to support this amendment.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 51.
Amendment 52 proposes that a chunk of state severance taxes (the tax the state receives for coal, oil and natural gas extracted) be funneled toward roads. Right now they fund water projects, wildlife conservation, low-income energy assistance, varous wildlife conservation, renewable energy, state parks and environmental programs, and regulatory needs. All of those programs are necessary, but they all lack vocal advocacy groups, while in every single election there is at least one initiative to increase road funding. I'm opposed to changing this funding structure because in recent years we've allocated millions upon millions toward roads, and at some point we simply have to say "enough, there are other worthy projects out there that should also be funded."
AuntieM's vote - NO on 52.
Amendment 53 deals with ethics in business, and creates criminal penalties for corporate executives, officers, directors, managing partners or proprietors of for-profit or nonprofit entities if their specific entity fails to perform duties that are required by law. On its face it sounds reasonable, but the fine print reveals that there's a loophole big enough to drive a corporate jet through: an executive can avoid any criminal liability by disclosing his company's activities to the attorney general at any time before criminal charges are filed. This measure won't improve corporate ethics, it will simply allow crooked executives to write their own get-out-of-jail-free card in the form of a letter to the AG, and as long as their lawyers are fast enough to get it delivered before charges are filed, the executive walks away scot-free. It may snare a few careless small businessmen, but the ones who commit theft and fraud on a gigantic scale will always be able to skate.
AuntieM's vote - NO on 53.
This weekend I hope to review the rest of the amendments, as well as the referenda, and will write about them in a subsequent post. In the meantime, I hope that each one of you is doing what I'm doing, finding unbiased information on political issues, learning about both sides, considering that information against your own beliefs and making rational choices. Only with that level of involvelement and dedication by citizens can a representative democracy truly function as such. Anything less and the elected politicians simply become shills for the loudest voices and deepest pockets.
Peace,
AuntieM
Friday, September 26, 2008
Another letter
Okay, I'm at it again. I just wrote another letter to various newspapers and, once again, it sounded so good that I wanted to preserve it for posterity. By the way, my last letter, the one about Palin's selection as VP and McCain pandering to women was published in the Rocky Mountain News yesterday, 9/25/08. Woo Hoo!
Here's what I wrote this time, on McCain's published statement that he was a strong supporter of banking deregulation and wanted to do the same thing to health care:
What's bad for banking is bad for healthcare
In the midst of the biggest financial crisis most of us have seen in our lifetimes, a crisis precipitated by the rampant deregulation of the banking industry, John McCain wants to repeat this unsuccessful strategy with the U.S. healthcare system. He proposed precisely this in the Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Contingencies Magazine, and stated how much he supported the deregulation of the banking industry. No wonder McCain tried to put his campaign on hold to go work on fixing the financial crisis - he was instrumental in creating that crisis.
McCain, Bush and their cronies have already put our financial futures and security at risk by eliminating much of the oversight of the financial industry. We can't let McCain go on to put our health and healthcare at risk by doing the same thing in the health care sector.
We can't continue to let our elected leaders do the same things over and over, hoping that maybe this time they'll work. We can't afford John McCain and four more years of failed Bush policies presented as McCain's own happy thoughts. We can't afford a Vice Presidential candidate who is woefully unprepared on every single issue she would face as President if the unthinkable happened. We simply can't afford to elect McCain and Palin.
Peace,
AuntieM
Here's what I wrote this time, on McCain's published statement that he was a strong supporter of banking deregulation and wanted to do the same thing to health care:
What's bad for banking is bad for healthcare
In the midst of the biggest financial crisis most of us have seen in our lifetimes, a crisis precipitated by the rampant deregulation of the banking industry, John McCain wants to repeat this unsuccessful strategy with the U.S. healthcare system. He proposed precisely this in the Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Contingencies Magazine, and stated how much he supported the deregulation of the banking industry. No wonder McCain tried to put his campaign on hold to go work on fixing the financial crisis - he was instrumental in creating that crisis.
McCain, Bush and their cronies have already put our financial futures and security at risk by eliminating much of the oversight of the financial industry. We can't let McCain go on to put our health and healthcare at risk by doing the same thing in the health care sector.
We can't continue to let our elected leaders do the same things over and over, hoping that maybe this time they'll work. We can't afford John McCain and four more years of failed Bush policies presented as McCain's own happy thoughts. We can't afford a Vice Presidential candidate who is woefully unprepared on every single issue she would face as President if the unthinkable happened. We simply can't afford to elect McCain and Palin.
Peace,
AuntieM
She Who Must Not Be Named
“Should she become president, Palin seems capable of enacting policies so detached from the common interests of humanity, and from empirical reality, as to unite the entire world against us.” - Sam Harris, “When Atheists Attack”, Newsweek, Sept. 29, 2008 http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/output/print
Reasons why people may be fooled into voting for Sarah Palin, and why we shouldn’t let ourselves be fooled into believing the Republican hype.
1. “She’s a mom, and she knows what it’s like to be a mom.” So she can (and has) spawned, big deal. So can (and has) the skunk that visits my backyard. That doesn’t qualify the skunk to be Vice President, and neither does it qualify Sarah Palin. The ability to reproduce has no bearing on whether or not she could lead this country. By using motherhood as a rationale, no President or Vice President in the history of the United States has been qualified to serve. If this rationale was to be applied, would that mean those who are infertile or childless by choice would automatically be disqualified from high political office?
2. “Sarah Palin is an ordinary person.” Absolutely correct, there’s absolutely nothing in her background that qualifies as an outstanding achievement that is relevant to being one heartbeat away from the Presidency. Why do Americans treasure mediocrity? Does it make them feel better about themselves? Since when is being accomplished and educated a drawback in the eyes of the American people? We go into serious debt to send our kids and ourselves to college, so that shows we place high value on education. So why, when a well-educated person like Barack Obama runs for high office, is he suddenly characterized as elitist and “uppity.” Careful folks, I may have to bring the “r” word into play.
3. “The media is mean to her!” Waaahhh. You mean that Palin, unlike any other politician since the advent of mass communication, should be exempt from the same level of scrutiny to which all other candidates are subjected? Don’t tell me it’s because she’s a woman, because it would be completely sexist to assume either that she shouldn’t have to explain herself, her actions and her views, or that she can’t handle the pressure. If (Goddess forbid!) McCain is elected and kicks the bucket – four melanomas will do that to a person, pretty quickly – and Know-Nothing Palin winds up in the Oval Office, she’d have to handle tremendous pressure. Unless, that is, she plans to let her husband run the show… and the country.
4. “She’s qualified.” How? What in her moose-eating, wolf-killing, abstinence-teaching life has even remotely qualified her to be VP, and possibly President? Just in the last day or two, Palin once again demonstrated her complete ignorance of foreign policy by calling Henry Kissinger “naïve” and claiming he didn’t know how to negotiate effectively. Excuse me? The only thing she’s negotiated is the money-losing sale of that plane in Alaska, maybe her kid’s bedtimes and allowances, and the upcoming marriage of her underage pregnant daughter. Palin’s ignorance is the truly dangerous, arrogant type that causes her not to realize how ignorant she really is, and to stick by her guns (pun intended) until the rest of the world comes around to her way of thinking. Palin’s ignorance doesn’t leave room for new information and new perspectives. Palin’s ignorance is the kind that, at the very least, will make the US an even bigger laughingstock with the international community, and at worst, may kill millions of people, soldiers and civilians, through her arrogance.
5. “Palin is a good Christian.” How’s that again? Please define “good” so we’re all talking about the same thing. According to Sam Harris' "When Atheists Attack" (Newsweek 9/29/08),
“In the churches where Palin has worshiped for decades, parishioners enjoy "baptism in the Holy Spirit," "miraculous healings" and "the gift of tongues." Invariably, they offer astonishingly irrational accounts of this behavior and of its significance for the entire cosmos. Palin's spiritual colleagues describe themselves as part of "the final generation," engaged in "spiritual warfare" to purge the earth of "demonic strongholds." Palin has spent her entire adult life immersed in this apocalyptic hysteria. Ask yourself: Is it a good idea to place the most powerful military on earth at her disposal? Do we actually want our leaders thinking about the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy when it comes time to say to the Iranians, or to the North Koreans, or to the Pakistanis, or to the Russians or to the Chinese: "All options remain on the table"?
Personally this scares the crap out of me. I look at the Presidential election process as an extended job interview, during which I assess the qualifications of the candidates and choose the one that I think will do the best job of leading the country. Religion plays no part in my choice, although it may with some. However, Palin’s believe that we’re already in some sort of Biblical “end times” has the capacity to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. What if Palin (again, Goddess forbid!) winds up being in charge of the infamous “button” when a conflict with another nation becomes heated, and she chooses to press the button because God told her that whatever nation she wants to bomb is a “demonic stronghold”? Do we really want to go back into the dark ages and let religion control the actions of politicians and governments? That’s what Palin brings to the table.
Peace,
AuntieM
Friday, September 19, 2008
White privilege
This article is reproduced word-for-word from an e-mail I received yesterday. The author of this piece, as cited below, is Tim Wise, and I was so impressed by the accuracy of his observations that I just had to post his article on my blog. As I told a colleague yesterday, this makes me want to resign my skin color because I don't want to be tainted by "white privilege".
Anyway, enjoy, reflect and share.
Peace,
AuntieM
This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise
9/13/08
For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.
White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.
White privilege is when you can call yourself a "f***in' redneck,"like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their f***in' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S.Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."
White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough forthe founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added untilthe 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.
White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.
White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto is "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.
White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college and the fact that she lives close to Russia--you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.
White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because suddenly your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."
White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.
White privilege is when you can take nearly twenty-four hours to get to a hospital after beginning to leak amniotic fluid, and still beviewed as a great mom whose commitment to her children is unquestionable, and whose "next door neighbor" qualities make her ready to be VP, while if you're a black candidate for president and you let your children be interviewed for a few seconds on TV, you're irresponsibly exploiting them.
White privilege is being able to give a 36 minute speech in which you talk about lipstick and make fun of your opponent, while laying out no substantive policy positions on any issue at all, and still manage to be considered a legitimate candidate, while a black person who gives an hour speech the week before, in which he lays out specific policy proposals on several issues, is still criticized for being too vague about what he would do if elected.
White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department ofDefense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.
White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked bya reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.
White privilege is being able to go to a prestigious prep school, then to Yale and then Harvard Business school, and yet, still be seen as just an average guy (George W. Bush) while being black, going to a prestigious prep school, then Occidental College, then Columbia, and then to Harvard Law, makes you "uppity," and a snob who probably looks down on regular folks.
White privilege is being able to graduate near the bottom of your college class (McCain), or graduate with a C average from Yale (W.)and that's OK, and you're cut out to be president, but if you're black and you graduate near the top of your class from Harvard Law, you can't be trusted to make good decisions in office.
White privilege is being able to dump your first wife after she's disfigured in a car crash so you can take up with a multi-millionaire beauty queen (who you go on to call the c-word in public) and still be thought of as a man of strong family values, while if you're black and married for nearly twenty years to the same woman, your family is viewed as un-American and your gestures of affection for each other are called "terrorist fist bumps."
White privilege is being able to sing a song about bombing Iran and still be viewed as a sober and rational statesman, with the maturity to be president, while being black and suggesting that the U.S. should speak with other nations, even when we have disagreements with them, makes you "dangerously naive and immature."
White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism and an absent father is apparently among the "lesser adversities" faced by other politicians, as Sarah Palin explained in her convention speech.
And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing.
Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain. White privilege is, in short, the problem.
Source: http://www.blogger.com/.
Anyway, enjoy, reflect and share.
Peace,
AuntieM
This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise
9/13/08
For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.
White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.
White privilege is when you can call yourself a "f***in' redneck,"like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their f***in' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S.Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."
White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough forthe founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added untilthe 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.
White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.
White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto is "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.
White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college and the fact that she lives close to Russia--you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.
White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because suddenly your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."
White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.
White privilege is when you can take nearly twenty-four hours to get to a hospital after beginning to leak amniotic fluid, and still beviewed as a great mom whose commitment to her children is unquestionable, and whose "next door neighbor" qualities make her ready to be VP, while if you're a black candidate for president and you let your children be interviewed for a few seconds on TV, you're irresponsibly exploiting them.
White privilege is being able to give a 36 minute speech in which you talk about lipstick and make fun of your opponent, while laying out no substantive policy positions on any issue at all, and still manage to be considered a legitimate candidate, while a black person who gives an hour speech the week before, in which he lays out specific policy proposals on several issues, is still criticized for being too vague about what he would do if elected.
White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department ofDefense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.
White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked bya reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.
White privilege is being able to go to a prestigious prep school, then to Yale and then Harvard Business school, and yet, still be seen as just an average guy (George W. Bush) while being black, going to a prestigious prep school, then Occidental College, then Columbia, and then to Harvard Law, makes you "uppity," and a snob who probably looks down on regular folks.
White privilege is being able to graduate near the bottom of your college class (McCain), or graduate with a C average from Yale (W.)and that's OK, and you're cut out to be president, but if you're black and you graduate near the top of your class from Harvard Law, you can't be trusted to make good decisions in office.
White privilege is being able to dump your first wife after she's disfigured in a car crash so you can take up with a multi-millionaire beauty queen (who you go on to call the c-word in public) and still be thought of as a man of strong family values, while if you're black and married for nearly twenty years to the same woman, your family is viewed as un-American and your gestures of affection for each other are called "terrorist fist bumps."
White privilege is being able to sing a song about bombing Iran and still be viewed as a sober and rational statesman, with the maturity to be president, while being black and suggesting that the U.S. should speak with other nations, even when we have disagreements with them, makes you "dangerously naive and immature."
White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism and an absent father is apparently among the "lesser adversities" faced by other politicians, as Sarah Palin explained in her convention speech.
And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing.
Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain. White privilege is, in short, the problem.
Source: http://www.blogger.com/.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A very different convention
Life’s been kind of busy this week in AuntieM-land. So much has happened that I wanted to document but this is the first time since early in the week that I’ve had more than 10 minutes at my computer. So here are my impressions of the RNC (the Really Nasty Convention) and assorted other timely items.
Yes, I sat glued to the RNC for three whole evenings, watching the expanded coverage on cable news, not the paltry hour-long network coverage. It took a lot of self-control to watch as much as I did, because my temper kept rising at all the mean-spirited insults being hurled at Obama. I did it though, because it is important to me to listen to opposing viewpoints instead of proceeding blindly down my own path, which it itself would be an exercise in prejudice. It is vital to listen to many perspectives before forming your own, and then to continue to listen to other perspectives with an open mind. You'll either gain new ideas and information which may cause you to reasses your positions, or at the very least you'll be better informed as to the arguements posed by those who oppose your views.
Hubby and I watched the first two nights together and kept each other amused with our running commentary. On Thursday Hubby had to work, and my friend M and her son K invited me to their house to watch the show and eat cheesy pizza in honor of a cheesy speech from McCain. We had a wonderful time. I brought some munchies designed specifically for the occasion: wrinkly dried fruits for dried-up old McCain and a can of mixed nuts to represent the rest of the convention. I’m now calling that particular mix SnarkySnax.
For those of you who don’t know me personally, I’m afraid I do have a bit of a potty mouth. That’s one reason Hubby and I don’t have a parrot – we don’t know which words a parrot would pick up. I’m pretty good about controlling myself in professional situations and around kids, and I believe using profanity in written communication weakens the effectiveness of your message, but last night sent me right over the edge. After a while I simply had to stop saying “****… sorry K” over and over, because it was wearing thin. I doubt he heard anything from me that he hasn’t heard before. We had a wonderful time watching the speeches, commenting on what was being said and exchanging terrorist fist jabs.
How DARE Giuliani and Palin criticize Obama for working as a Community Organizer? Do they even know what a Community Organizer does? Let me tell you, Community Organizers deserve tremendous respect because they earn a pittance for going out into dicey areas to reach out to people who need help but may not know that help is available or where to get it. Working as a Community organizer is physically and emotionally demanding and draining that involves placing oneself in possible danger, all for the sake of contacting people in need one-on-one and seeing that they get the help they need. This job requires a serious dedication to and concern for the welfare of others, and requires one to place the welfare of others ahead of one’s own. Community organizers have my deepest respect and admiration, and I’d bet just about anything that neither Giuliani nor Palin could make it through one single shift of that job! They’d chicken out and run away screaming.
Gee, if I put on some lipstick and start spewing nasty, mean-spirited stuff about those who are way more qualified than me, can I be a hockey mom too??? Pit bull with lipstick, that’s a great image for Palin since she’s ready to be McCain’s lap dog and do his bidding.
Giuliani 9/11 spoke 9/11 for 9/11 way 9/11 too 9/11 long 9/11 and 9/11 all 9/11 that 9/11 he 9/11 said 9/11 came 9/11 right 9/11 back 9/11 to 9/11 the 9/11 same 9/11 topic 9/11: (I’m not going to continue doing that, you get my point) Fearmongering over terrorism and references to 9/11, trying to scare folks into supporting a truly fearsome ticket. That’s all they’ve got, the Republican cabinet is bare otherwise.
Did you notice the chants that went up during Giuliani’s speech when he mentioned opening up the ANWR and protected offshore areas for oil drilling? The crowd started chanting “Drill baby, drill!” I thought I was going to be sick. Yeah, let’s go ahead and trash this planet because by the time our actions come back to us we’ll be dead and gone to our heavenly reward, let future generations figure out what to do to clean up our messes. Or maybe they think the world is going to end soon anyway so why bother conserving any natural resources or protecting the planet for the future? If that’s their take, then it’s a self-fulfilling prophesy, but it will be carried out at the hands of mankind, not by God.
How can any reasonably intelligent person continue to deny the existence and effects of global warming? Oh, wait, I’m not sure that Palin or McCain fall into the category of reasonably intelligent. Never mind, strike that question.
Ground noise and static: those were the new names M and I took last night, straight out of McCain’s speech. He said something about the audience being distracted by “ground noise and static”, meaning the five separate times his speech was interrupted by protesters. How they got past security I’ll never know but my hat’s off to them for their ingenuity and determination. I’m sure they all got arrested, we saw the security guards swoop in, confiscate their signs and usher them out of the arena. I was so pleased that the station we were watching (PBS) aired these scenes, don’t know if the commercial networks did. I’m sure Faux News didn’t. McCain was thrown off his stride so badly that he practically yielded the floor to them. He might as well have walked off the stage and gone back to the green room for a snack and a nap. His speech was as good as over, because the protesters stole the show.
What’s wrong with Cindy McCain’s right hand? Did you notice during her speech as she was holding the microphone that her hand was purple and immobile? And at the end of the festivities when she and John were shaking hands with the crowd she used her left hand instead of her right. A few days ago my manager said she noticed that Cindy McCain was wearing a pink cast on her right wrist and forearm, and asked me if I knew what happened to her. She said her first, instinctive reaction was to ask if it was a domestic violence injury, because she used to work domestic violence cases. I haven’t had a chance to research this question, but if anyone knows anything I’d appreciate if you’d pass on your info. Personally I thought Cindy McCain looked a little stoned last night, as if she was on some heavy painkillers or something. Her speech had a rambling, disjointed quality about it. Yes, she read from the teleprompter all right, but she might as well have been reading a bedtime story instead of a political speech. Face it, she’s McCain’s trophy wife and she’s only there for show, she’s not intended to perform any significant function.
The RNC itself was pretty pathetic, when compared with the DNC. Here in Denver we could have easily filled both the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field 20 times over with all of the folks who wanted to attend. The Republicans, in contrast, had so many empty seats that it was simply embarassing for them. Hopefully that's indicative of how few people actually want to align themselves with the Republican brand of hatred and intolerance. We can only hope.
I don’t know about you but I’m getting completely sick and tired of McCain’s self-proclaimed “maverick” stuff. What does he mean by that anyway? I know he’s intending it to be a positive characteristic, but calling himself a maverick without clarifying his interpretation of the term is meaningless. The Encarta Dictionary definition of “maverick” is: 1) independent person, an independent thinker who refuses to conform to the accepted views on a subject; 2) unbranded animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother and herd. By convention, it can become the property of whoever finds it and brands it.” So are we to assume that McCain is using the first definition and trying to stress his independence and refusal to conform to accepted views of his party? Not likely, considering McCain himself admits that he has voted in accordance with Bush’s views more than 90% of the time. Maybe he’s using the second definition of “maverick” and telling us that he is the property of the GOP because he’s certainly displaying their brand, philosophically if not physically. Language can be a slippery thing, and it’s important to clarify terms to make sure we’re all talking about the same thing.
Continual repetition of a term or concept (like McCain as a maverick) is actually a form of brainwashing. I think the theory is that if people hear it enough times they begin to believe it's true, regardless of how much sense it actually makes or whether it has any meaning. So if I start a nationwide media campaign calling myself a supermodel and repeat that message so many times that people just can't stand it anymore, does that make me a real supermodel? Not hardly. Even if a bunch of brainwashed people respond involuntarily to the name AuntieM by saying "she's a supermodel", that still doesn't make it true, it's reminiscent of Pavlov's dogs salivating whenever a bell was rung. Simple behavioral conditioning, nothing more. And I'm pretty offended by a candidate and a campaign that attempts to condition me like a dog.
Did you know that Palin tried to get certain books banned from libraries in Alaska because a librarian found that they contained offensive language. Don’t know which books she had a problem with, or what sort of “offensive language” was involved, but it’s all a sign of fascism, and we sure don’t need to put a fascist in office.
We especially don’t need a vice president with fascist beliefs in the #2 spot for the oldest newly-inaugurated president in history, which McCain will be if (goddess forfend!) he’s elected. McCain’s health record is scary – he had malignant skin cancer (melanoma) which has recurred twice. Those of you who have read this blog for a while know that this is the type of cancer that killed my mom, and you may remember the long post I wrote about just what melanoma does and how quickly it moves. If McCain was diagnosed with a recurrence today, odds are that he would not have long to live. When a melanoma recurs and is anywhere past the very earliest stages, the mean survival time is 6 months.
I know I shouldn’t throw this in because I agree that families should be off-limits, but when a candidate presents herself as such a sanctimoniously perfect mom, and incontrovertable evidence points to the fact that her beliefs and tactics are dismal failures, they should be dragged out into the light. I’m talking about Palin’s opposition to teaching sex ed in schools and her complete reliance on “abstinence-only” programs and education. Look how well that approach worked for her daughter Bristol… another casualty of the abstinence-only movement.
Achieving peace through war is an oxymoron. This boggled my mind until, in a brilliant flash of insight (if I do say so myself) I figured out McCain’s plan for peace: if we go to war with and conquer every other nation on the planet, then there will be peace. Funny, I think that was Hitler’s strategy too.
M and K told me something that left my jaw dragging on the floor. Apparently the Palin folks have already settled the procedural question of what title to give the husband of a female VP: “First Dude”. I think I’m going to hurl.
Overall, after comparing the speeches of Obama and Biden to those of McCain and Palin, I am now ready to present the following comparison:
- McCain and Palin’s speeches focused primarily on the past, with Palin telling her family history and McCain returning again and again and again to his time in Viet Nam. These personal stories don’t give us any indication of how well they’d perform the duties of President and Vice President, they only attempt to play on our emotions and bury our crucial questions and critical opinions in schmaltz.
- Obama and Biden’s speeches focused primarily on the future as they laid out the problems they see in this country and discussed how they will address them and work to improve this country. They tackled specific, tough issues without fear, reservation or dissembling, and they invited participation by people of all political beliefs because they understand that it is possible to find common ground and a common goal to work toward.
- McCain and Palin traded on fear and the spectre of future terrorist attacks, because they don’t have anything else in their arsenal. They want to continue the “more of the same” policies of the failed Bush presidency because they don’t have any other ideas, or their handlers have an agenda that these detrimental policies serve.
- Obama and Biden present a hopeful view of the future, one in which we can utilize both existing and new energy sources, not just to break our dependence on foreign oil, but to break our dependence on oil, period. They understand that we cannot build a 21st century society on the framework of the 19th century technology of internal combustion. They present a future in which US innovation in clean energy will create good jobs for Americans, jobs that will rebuild our country in a green model and provide a secure future for subsequent generations because we’re going to stop trashing our planet. They present a peaceful outlook for our country, between withdrawing US troops from Iraq and opening up negotiations to improve the US’s standing in the international community. Other countries have got to be getting sick and tired of our bullying, and Obama and Biden know it’s got to stop now. They present a future in which health care and higher education will be available to all, not just the privileged. A future worth working toward.
Peace,
AuntieM
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