Friday, December 21, 2018

Holidays not always filled with cheer

Yesterday, I stopped in a convenience store.  In front of me at the checkout was a young woman (30ish).  The cashier, decked out in a Santa hat and festive sweater was doing his best to get her to smile.  "Hey ... it's Christmas!  A little smile would be a good thing!"

He kept trying.  She just wanted to pay and get out.  He rang a little bell in her face, "Merry, merry, merry Christmas!"  She grabbed her items and left the store as he said, "Hey, you don't have to be the Grinch!"

I had only one item so I was out in a hurry and there, leaning up against an old car, was the young woman.  Crying.  I walked up to her and asked if I could help in any way.  She said, "I'm so sorry.  No.  It's just the holidays - it's not a happy time for me."  I offered to buy her a coffee across the street and she said thanks, but got in her car and drove off.

I didn't ask why she felt the way she did; it was none of my business and I felt like I had already invaded her very private emotional space.

But I've been thinking about her, and she's not alone.  There are many people who don't jump for joy over the holiday season.  The reasons?  Well, those reasons are as varied as the individuals who feel this way.  Maybe this is a time they feel the loss of a loved one who is gone.  Maybe there is no family to share the holidays with ... or maybe there are strained relationships within that family.  Maybe the person is alone and is reminded of that at every office party.  Maybe the shopping, music, bells, stress are just too much. Maybe parents cannot afford presents for their children.  Maybe the memories of holidays past are just too painful.

The "holiday blues" are a very real thing to people who experience them ... and the reason doesn't matter.

While you might decorate your home and head to parties, while you might wear your Santa hat and go caroling, while you might shop 'til you drop and spend hours wrapping gifts, while you turn the radio on full blast to hear yet another version of  "The Little Drummer Boy" ... please remember that not everyone is filled with your Christmas cheer.  Some people are just trying to get through the holiday season.  One day at a time.

The young man at the convenience store didn't mean to hurt anyone.  And the young woman knew that.  As I watched that interaction, I hurt for her.  She was uncomfortable and she was sad and she was hurting.  And, he, not paying attention to how she was reacting, was telling her that what she was feeling was wrong.  This is Christmas.  It's a holiday filled with joy!  Right?

No ... not for everyone.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Two presidents - one focus!

As the world learned about the death of America's 41st president, George H.W. Bush, social media became quite interested in these questions:  Would Donald Trump attend the funeral?  Would he even be allowed to attend?  

On Dec. 4, 2018, FOX News gave us the answers.  Yes, Trump would attend:

"The Bush family has taken great care to assure that services being held to honor the life and legacy of former President George H.W. Bush do not become a political platform for anti-Trump swipes."

Okay ... so Trump would feel safe.  He would not be the focus of the events. He could honor protocol by attending the services for President Bush.

But was he safe?  Well, no, he was not.  And that isn't because any of the speakers at President Bush's services took "swipes" at Trump; they didn't.  It wasn't that he was ignored; he wasn't.

Trump wasn't safe from criticism and judgement because ... he is Trump.  Period.

Trump was not mentioned by any of those speaking.  And yet, he was.

Speakers described George H.W. Bush with a variety of adjectives.  Here are just a few:  honest, honorable, loyal, compassionate, friendly, giving, loving, courageous, patriotic, respectful, decent.  Not one of those adjectives can be used to describe Trump.

Speakers described President Bush's life as one filled with humor, deep faith, public service, and integrity. Trump's life?  Well ... no ... no ... no ... and, no.

There is no way one could avoid comparing #41 to #45.

President Bush respected the institutions of our country while Trump doesn't understand the institutions and is doing his best to tear them down.

Trump may not have been the focus of the services for President Bush, but he was there, front and center.  Not because the Bush Family planned that focus, but simply because Trump is Trump and we, as a nation, have every right to compare these men's presidencies, their presence on the world stage, and their effect on the people of this nation.

I hope Trump learned something from this week of remembering President George H.W. Bush.  I doubt that will happen.  He immediately tweeted his 50% approval rating (a false statement as shown by Gallup poll results).

President Bush, thank you for your service, Sir.  Yours was a life well lived, a life of service to others. 

















Friday, October 26, 2018

Politics doesn't affect me!

To the people who "hate" politics and to those who say politics doesn't affect them.  My reply:  HOGWASH!  Politics/government affects you every single day from the minute you wake up until the minute to hit the sack ... and while you're sleeping as well.

  • Wake up.  Turn the lights on, go pee.  Your utility rates are controlled by the Arizona Corporation Commission, a political body.  The water/sewer charge is controlled by the city.  Yep - politics/government!
  • Take shower, get dressed.  See above for the water/sewer charge.  Now, add up the sales tax you paid for every item of clothing you put on.  Yep - politics/government!
  • Make coffee, heat up a breakfast burrito from Taco Bell.  Your water is safe to drink because of government regulations and testing.  Your burrito's ingredients are part of the food inspection program and the restaurant itself is inspected as part of government regulations/requirements.  Yep - politics/government ... again!
  • Drive to work. Boy, howdy ... how much time do you have?  Auto safety standards set by the government. Gas taxes. Mandatory insurance. License and registration requirement/fees. Speed limits. Auto emission standards and penalties.  Street construction, traffic control - city's responsibility.  Yep - politics/government ... are you starting to see a pattern here?
  • Work. Depending on your job ... 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act >> hours, pay, overtime.  Anti-discrimination laws. Whistle-blower protection.  Yep, politics/government ... even at your job!
  • Daughter's conference with teacher.  Schools ... wow ... get ready!  Mandatory school attendance, school district taxes, curriculum and testing requirements, graduation requirements, textbook selection, athletic participation requirements.  Yep - politics/government.  
  • Son's soccer game. Public park preparation, control, taxes, maintenance.  Yep - politics/government even at a child's athletic event.
  • Night class.  Yes, you want to get that college degree so you can make more money!  Tuition and fees set by the state Board of Regents.  Curriculum and requirements approved through BofR.  Taxes to support higher education.  Yep - politics/government.
  • R&R after a long day.  TV programming on major networks controlled by FCC.  Taxes on TV and other entertainment devices.  WiFi controlled by FCC.  Yep - politics/government ... even watching TV.
  • To bed.  Be sure to use birth control if you don't want more children because your reproductive choice is a target of one political party. Cost of birth control - taxes.  Some birth control requires doctor appointment/prescription.  Pharmacists in some states are allowed, by law, to refuse filling your prescription for birth control.  Yep - politics/government ... even in your very personal sex life!
  • Sleep.  Mattress - truth in advertising and taxes associated with purchase of bed, linens.  Military/police protection so that you have a better chance of waking up in the morning to start all over again.  Yep - politics/government. 
All day, every day.  There is NO part of your day that doesn't involve politics/government.  But you can't be bothered to vote to protect YOUR interests?  Really?  Maybe you WILL once you start losing the things that matter most to you ... but by that time, it might be too late.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Why? Just WHY????

I am constantly amazed at people who will vote against their own interests.  Why do that?  What do you gain by voting against yourself?

Example:  Farmers.  The farm crowd, typically, votes Republican.  They like Republicans despite the fact that liberals actually created subsidies and crop protection insurance.  But, hey ... they like Republicans.  They supported the Republican candidate for president in 2016 because he wasn't a Democrat.  He knew nothing about agriculture and really had nothing to offer them.  Now, with his tariffs and destructive trade wars, farmers (especially those in the Midwest who supported him big time) are in trouble!  But they still support him!  Well, hey ... he somehow found $12 BILLION to bail them out.  But economists say that's a drop in the bucket; there are many more losses to come.  These farmers will still vote Republican because ... they won't vote Democrat.  They will hurt themselves .... and they don't seem to care.

Example:  Wall supporters.  Just this week, the White House announced that the current president is hiring a dozen more attorneys to grab land along the border so he can build his friggin' wall.  Uh ... just wait until those land owners, many of them owners of ranches that have been in their families for decades, are notified that their land falls within eminent domain.  Poof!  Land is grabbed for "public" use.  Will they still support this titular head of the Republican Party?  You betcha ... he's a Republican and they won't vote for a Democrat. They will hurt themselves ... and they don't seem to care.

Example:  Seniors.  Don't get me started on this bunch (and I'm one of them)!  Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell ... and the current resident of the White House ... are ready to slash Social Security and Medicare.  But seniors are still voting Republican!  Wow, the stupidity is mind-boggling!  Republicans came out and actually announced they would be targeting Social Security and Medicare (in order to make up some of the revenue losses from the tax bill they passed), but seniors will head to the polls on November 8 and punch the GOP candidate.  They will hurt themselves ... and they don't seem to care.

Example:  Supporters of public education.  Oh, wow, this one takes the cake!  State legislatures controlled by Republicans have been slashing public education funds for years ... and putting a lot of that money into charter/private schools.  Don't tell me folks support public education, public school students, and teachers ... while they vote Republican!  Their vote tells me exactly what they support and it sure isn't public schools!  They will hurt themselves, their children, their grandchildren and society at large ... and they don't seem to care.

So WHY do people vote Republican when that vote has shown to be detrimental to the general welfare of this country?  I believe it's the old "tax and spend liberals" mantra that Republicans have been shouting for years.  People believe it since it's been hammered in their heads for so long.  Well ... grow up, do some research, and you will find that argument to be false.  A report released last week tells us  that recent tax-and-spending legislation passed by Congress (yes, a REPUBLICAN Congress) is helping to drive up the federal deficit and push the national debt as a percentage of annual economic output to levels not seen since just after World War II. The report comes from the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the figures have been confirmed by the Congressional Budget Office. 

If you are voting Republican because you are a fiscal conservative, then you are incredibly ignorant about the current situation.  Tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations bring in less revenue.  Then when government spends unnecessary funds on a ridiculous wall, farmer bailout ... the list goes on and on ... you have spending that overwhelms revenue.  Any sixth-grader with a $10 allowance can understand that!

Tax and spend ... yep!  Republicans reduce taxes for the wealthy and big business ... and then spend money that isn't coming in. 

And people will still vote Republican even though they hurt themselves ... and they don't seem to care.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

I did it on my own!! Uh, no ... you didn't.

Time and time again, I hear the good little Republicans say, "I did it on my own so everyone else should, too."  This is what they say when they attempt to justify a vote that ignores the plight of their fellow citizens.

My response:  Bullshit.  You didn't do it all on your own.  Nobody did.

Let's say you were born into a poor family.  Lots of children are, but they end up quite successful.  Did they end up that way on their own?  Not by a long shot.  Let's take a look, shall we ..... ?

If, as a young child, you needed medical care but your parents couldn't afford it, taxpayers helped out.

If you went to public school, others paid taxes so you  could attend. If you went to private school, someone else  helped fund your tuition.

If you were awarded a college scholarship, someone else donated to make sure that money was available.

Someone paid taxes to pave and maintain the roads you drove on to get to your job.

Someone paid taxes to make sure your property is secure through law enforcement and fire protection.

Someone paid taxes for you to use a public park for your softball tournament.  And someone paid taxes for you to use the public library for research when you were writing your Master's thesis.

Maybe you're my age now.  Someone else is paying into Social Security so your benefit can be maintained.  And someone is paying into Medicare so you can get that cataract surgery.  Because ... come on, let's face it ... even though you paid into Medicare, what you paid in will not cover all the health costs you are now accruing.

Don't tell me you made it on your own.  You didn't.  You depended on the kindness of strangers (apologies to Tennessee Williams, but the phrase fits).

Hillary Clinton is right:  It takes a village.  It's too bad you don't see yourself as part of that village.  And you are clearly delusional if you don't accept this entire post as being the truth.  You did NOT do it all on your own.  Nobody does. Nobody can.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Your guns - I call police!

The NRA tells us we will all be much safer if more people are packing.  Guns, guns everywhere ... all kinds of guns!  Guns at home, guns in schools, guns on the streets, guns in stores and restaurants and bars - and in the car, for sure.  Hey, a gun really comes in handy while involved in a road rage incident on the freeway at 70 mph!

So let me tell you what will happen when I see you walk into a store or a restaurant with your AR-15 ... or any other kind of firearm.  I will call police.

Arizona is an open-carry state.  Do I want to change that?  No.  Do I want to take away your firearms?  No.

But know this:  If I see you with your firearm in a public place, I will do what's necessary to 1) protect myself and 2) protect others.  I will slowly retreat and call 9-1-1.

Now, why in the world would I call police when you are a law-abiding citizen?  The answer is simple:

I WON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE A GOOD GUY ... OR A BAD GUY ... you'll just be a guy with a gun, and I'm not going to take a chance on guessing incorrectly.

Nothing will happen to you, but you will be inconvenienced.  Police have no choice but to stop and question you - and people will be watching and probably taking photos/videos with their phones.  You'll go viral in minutes! Once you have convinced officers that you're packing just because you want to show off what a manly man you are, they will let you go.  

I will be thankful that you didn't open fire on innocent people, but I will also reflect on what might have happened.  And, perhaps you should reflect, too.  Maybe someone else in that store will be armed as well - and won't bother calling law enforcement. The possibilities are numerous - and none are pleasant.