Tied Up In Knots ~ 2

Yesterday I wrote about local government being tied up in knots over an issue. But parallels exist throughout American governance. Congress provides a ripe example, of course!

Garrison Keillor stated in March, 2010:

“The frenzy on the right is pure fear of stepping out of line with the Republican politburo and getting shipped to Siberia. This lockstep mentality is rare in American history. Here is a grand old partyfrozen, suspended, mesmerized, in thrall to a gaggle of showboats and radio entertainers and small mobs of fist-shakers standing staunch for unreality, and no Republican elected official dares say, “Let us not be nuts.” There will be books written about this in years to come, and they will not be kind to the likes of Rep. Boehner and Sen,. McConnell.”

I think Keillor was right then and even more correct now. The republicans are in lockstep to defeat President Obama at any cost. They repeat unproven statements endlessly, and promote facetious canards as facts. Meanwhile, as they continue to beat this dead bush and drum, the American people see the President accomplishing a lot in spite of the constant obstructionism of the McConnells and Boehners of Congress. They and their minions toss out proposals without much content to distract attention from the real work that needs to be done. 

In spite of this here’s what has been happening in the last three+ years:

• War in Iraq is over; troops are home
• War in Afghanistan is drawing down; troops are slowly coming home on an established deadline
• Bush War debts of $5 trillion remain in place because he provided no way of paying for them; just more tax cuts on the wealthiest among us
• Intractable health care mess has been moved to the front row and is being solved in large and small steps over time; public sees productive movement on this without any help from republicans
• Smaller government has been achieved although not at Obama’s direction; this has been done by republican intransigence and obstructionism; state, county, city governments as well as school, park and fire districts have been downsizing continuously for 5 years as a result of falling tax revenues caused by a recessed economy driven by Bush policies
• Private sector job creation has rebounded slowly while government units continue to downsize, making job creation a very difficult problem to overcome
• Infrastructure replacement and improvements are being made slowly only because Obama’s programs have been underfunded and blocked by republicans in Congress
• Stimulus program rescued highway and road programs throughout the nation
• TARP program saved the banking industry although they, the banks, took the nation to the brink of disaster
• Mortgage industry remains in ruins because of the banking industry, and Congress refuses to help fix the problem; White House and scattered leaders are attempting to patch together meaningful repairs to save the housing industry along with the mortgage industry.

The common theme above is this: politics has become the sole the driver in fixing national problems.  The board of directors (Congress) is not only micro managing the business end of our nation, but frustrating it for political purposes.

The loser is you and I. When will you and I demand Congress’ removal from management functions and return it to the director role?

There are many ways to do this. But first we must be united in understanding the need to take action. Are you ready for that step yet?

July 11, 2012

Tied Up In Knots

Covered the local city council meeting last night. As the managing editor and city hall beat reporter for the local newspaper (www.VillageChronicles.net) I track city governance, the issues, the history of those issues, how they pop up from time to time, and how they morph logically into action and quality of life issues.

We have a very good city government. It is responsive to the community and its citizens. Elected officials are well involved in the life of their town and know its history, problems and yearnings. They are solidly committed to common sense. They care deeply about the town and its long term finances. These are the really good points.

Of course there are some negatives; our town is human! As are its reporters. But indulge me a little here. My primary complaint about our civic leaders is that they are not long-term future oriented. Ten to 20 year forward views need to be thought about if the short term issues are to be managed well. Without the long view, the ship of state (city in this instance) cannot navigate the trip down the river very well. It will bang into islands or river banks, caroming down to a future landing point. With short view vision, they can cross the river from point A to point B quite well. But that is quite short term; it doesn’t really get you anywhere.

No; it’s the long view that get’s us where we want to go, or hope to!

Case in point: The Acorn Van Program. A wonderful service to the community for those who are unable to transport themselves to doctors, social engagements, shopping or errands due to medical issues, mobility problems, aging difficulties, etc. This number is in the hundreds, not thousands. These residents, however, are long-term partners in the city’s story, and are rightfully served.

Acorn Van keeps them involved and vital. It was a good feeling to provide this service back in 2003/2004. I was elected to the City Council in 2003 and the van program was one of my first votes. The program was fully implemented in 2004 and has been successful ever since.

But now comes 2012, the need to replace the $50,000 van, and a reassessment of the city’s ability, capacity really, to support the program into the next 5 to 10 years. They can do it of course if needed resources are provided. In this day and age, however, that is a tall task. Staff is stretched thin; money for the new van, although in the budget, can be used elsewhere as funds are tight everywhere; and reliance on the program by riders continues to grow.

What to do? City staff has analyzed the issues side ways, end ways, and upside/downside ways! They conclude that a vendor program provided by a collaboration of local governments would serve the user better, more flexibility and with more options. The cost at this point is not the issue. The city continues to consider ways to subsidize the program so riders are not affected by cost.

But there is a hang up. A good one, really, but for the wrong reasons.

The hang up: personal service to local users at no cost; driver, city management and riders know each other. It is very personal and adaptive. That’s a good thing.

The wrong reason: City Council is attempting to manage the program without structural change. That’s the job of the staff. And they say they cannot do it the way the program is structured currently. Nor do they see the city affording it to keep the end results the same to the user. That is a fairness issue to the rest of the residents.

Council is to be congratulated for their motivation. They are faulted, however, for functioning as management team rather than a board of directors. The latter deals with policy and direction of effort. The end results of what is desired becomes the aim of such a body. Not management.

This is often the problem of governance. The directors become the managers. The managers become the clerical staff.

Managers have stated on record that they cannot personally manage the program adequately without more staff time devoted to the tasks. There will be more money needed of course, and back up plans for van and staff downtime, rider emergencies, and the like. Those changes shift the mission of the city a bit. To avoid that, staff has recommended adopting Ride DuPage. It is a large program serving the entire county. It is used by several communities. Overall costs are similar. Options exist to share costs with riders, or keep them unaffected by rising costs. The end result is the service remains in place on a more professional and consistent basis for more hours and days throughout the year.

The decision the Council needs to make is pretty basic: to continue providing van service to the target population or not; and at what cost to the rider.

The management team (staff) will determine how to implement the decision. The team will even give the Council options if they so choose. But running the program is the job of staff.

Let them do their job. They are very good at it. Efficient, cost effective and deeply caring.

Vending a task is a viable option for programs that outgrow their original parameters. This is such a time.

Praise the Acorn Van Program. From a little acorn did a might tree grow! And the ridership came and grew the program. Now we yield to the necessity of a larger program. Ride DuPage is an excellent option to adopt.

July 10, 2012

Growing from Within

Struggle builds muscle in bone and sinew. Same with spirit and emotional growth, I think. Walking through life doesn’t do it. Thinking about it helps. Pondering experiences and the lessons learned helps, too.

Focusing on the needs of others brings my strengths and weaknesses into focus. Doing something for someone else gives me a lift up. The reflected light from other lives and faces gives me a partial mirror to see myself. Am I making a difference? Am I worthwhile?

Odd isn’t it? It seems you really have to lose yourself in something else to gain a better sense of self. No man is an island. We’ve heard and read that many times throughout our lives. But it is true. We rely on others for so much. Help. Joy. Love. Appreciation. World view. Nature view. The list goes on. But we also rely on others to ‘see’ our inner self.

Gerard Way said, “Sometimes you have to kind of die inside in order to rise from your own ashes and believe in yourself, and love yourself to become a new person.”

Well said, Gerard! Forgetting self helps me see other people. Seeing them helps me know them, understand them a bit better. See things from their perspective. Losing self gains me so much more. It takes practice to do this. But it is an exercise well worth doing.

I found this on the Internet the other day; I think it is worth sharing. It fits with what we are discussing.

“If you are trapped between your feelings and what other people think is right, always go for whatever makes you happy, less you want everybody to be happy except you.

Your happiness is your own to find. The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself. Do the things that are pleasing to your heart, and work hard to inspire and bless others. The only thing that will truly make you happy is being happy with who you are, and not who people think you are.”

We often are wounded by life’s realities. It takes time to realize these hurts for what they are – moments in which we learn we are not the most important thing in the world. We also feel a wound when another person uses us, snubs us, for whatever reason. That reason is there’s, not ours. It is something we need to realize. They are struggling with their own self view and it is imperfect. They are trying to feel better about themselves and don’t know how to do so. Stumbling along they hurt others; intentionally because it makes them feel better about themselves in the instant, but in time they feel poorly inside because of what they did. They know.  They know.

I must heal from these wounds. I must give myself time to know this and recognize the hurt for what it is. Rocky found this on the Internet the other day:

“Take all the time you need to heal emotionally. Moving on doesn’t take a day. It takes a lot of little steps to be able to break free of your broken self…”

That statement feels right to me. Give the self time to know what it is dealing with. Then give it time to heal itself. Not rushed but determined. Time and work will heal the wound. And new skin, sinew and strong bone will take their rightful places.

And the self will shine to make others rise as well.

July 9, 2012

Seeing is Believing

I realize I repeat myself on political themes. But that’s because others do as well, apparently attempting to wear a rut in our logic like theirs, so we might believe as they do. Trouble is there is little logic that supports theirs. So, as long as they keep spewing junk, I’ll keep providing some balance. 

Here’s some I found on the Internet from Anti.Republican.Crusaders on Facebook:

1. “GOP leaders agree US default would be a ‘financial disaster’
2. Ronald Reagan tripled the national debt
3. George W. Bush doubled the national debt
4. The GOP voted 7 times to raise debt ceiling for G.W.
5. Federal taxes are now at a 60 year low
6. Bush tax cuts didn’t pay for themselves or spur ‘job creators’
7. Ryan budget delivers another tax cut windfall for wealthy
8. Ryan budget will require raising debt ceiling repeatedly
9. Tax cuts drive the next decade of debt
10. $3 trillion tab for unfunded wars remains unpaid”

That last point is important because the operating deficit from year to year does not include the ‘war’ debt. That is outside the budget. Doesn’t count. But it is included in the national debt. That’s how GW increased the debt by over $5 trillion in his 8 years in the White House.

So, listen to the republicans if you must, but they really don’t tell you the truth about what their administrations have wreaked on our nation. They want you to think the problems were all the doing of Democrats. Well they weren’t. And people who know about facts understand this truth.

All I’m saying is, truth will out. People who care follow and find the truth; those who don’t, lie and try to win elections with them. For shame!

Because there are always the gullible who don’t want to hurt their heads with learning and leave that up to others, shame on them! They are part of the problem as well.

Here’s another Bernie Sanders quote you may enjoy (he’s the independent Senator from Vermont):

“There’s gridlock in Washington to put America back to work and fix our crumbling infrastructure…

“You have a republican mindset that says “Hmm, we can repair the infrastructure, save money long term, create millions of jobs – bad idea. Barack Obama will look good, and we’ve got to do everything we can to make Barack Obama look bad.”

Bernie Sanders made that comment on June 12, 2012 regarding the Tea Party-controlled House of Representatives that blocked movement on a bi-partisan Senate-passed infrastructure spending bill.  Why would they do that; for the exact reason Bernie stated: the republicans will not lead except away from the President. They want you to believe they have the answers and should own the White House again. Yet they are the ones who have blocked every move to repair problems they created in the first place.  And all the yelling and posturing won’t change those facts.

It is up to you, your friends and family to make sure this message is heard loud and clear on Election Day in November. Please help our nation return to sanity!

Jay Leno offered this joke for the moment:

            “I think Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin would be the perfect ticket.

            She can’t answer basic questions, and he has two answers for every question.”

I think Jay has is right! The reason jokes are funny is because they come from truth whether comfortable or not; they are funnier when least comfortable!

Another jewel from the Internet:

            “Abraham Lincoln robbed me of my freedom to own other people

            Because he was a socialist and a Muslim.”

Think about it!

And finally, Toni Morrison offers this advice:

            If you wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”

November’s election approaches. Steel yourself for doing your duty. Follow the leaders who deal with truth. Gather others around you to do the same. It is our future we are trying to build here. Please lend an earnest hand and a full heart.

July 7, 2012

Refuge

What does it mean to take refuge? It means to seek shelter or protection from harm. It is an act of self preservation but usually relies on help from others. One is not always prepared to take refuge until circumstances present themselves for such action. We did recently following a serious, prolonged power outage caused by a severe storm.

The storm itself did no damage to our home or neighborhood. Just plant debris scattered over the lawns. But the power outage was caused by serious tree damage done in the town to our north. That community is still without power, four days later. Power was restored to our home after 51 hours.

That length of time needs context. The temperatures before and after the storm were 90’s and over 100 degrees. Humidity was roughly 50%. With no power there was no internet, TV or radio. Patience let us sit through the first few hours in silence as we read, napped and kept cool air trapped indoors.

As the hours ticked away we ventured out and learned that our town was undamaged but the neighboring communities were seriously impaired. Entire neighborhoods lost thousands of trees which took down electrical cables and poles. The tangle was complex and would take time to repair.  So we learned that we could be out for 12 to 24 hours. Still, leaving refrigerators and freezers tightly sealed, we could preserve food and make preparations to move to a cooling station if needed.

Our neighborhood has many residents of retirement age and older. Many of them have mobility issues. Some of them have inhalation and oxygen equipment. Refrigeration is needed for their medicines as well. Under these circumstances power outages can become serious events.

In our case I’m on both inhalation and oxygen equipment and use it while sleeping. The first night we remained home and I slept without the equipment. The next day it was clear power would not be restored for possibly days. So we sought refuge with family in an unaffected area.

That refuge felt heaven sent! The air was cool. The dogs were safe and comfortable. The bed was super good and the oxygen/inhalation equipment worked very well. It was a major comfort to know there was this safe port to settle in! We felt embraced and cared for.

That next day we resumed our usual routine just in a different place. By late afternoon we received word that power had been restored to our neighborhood and we moved back home. Other than the bother of moving equipment, dog and overnight clothes and reading materials, the experience had not placed a strain on us. Restoring the house to normal was another issue altogether!

Lost were the contents of both freezers and the refrigerator. Cleaning these out while controlling the smell of spoiled food took effort. Temperatures remained high in the low 100’s. An unprecedented heat wave had hit the Chicago region. Health advisories were frequently aired by radio and TV stations.

All in all the little things in life became huge. And we appreciated each of them more highly than ever before. Electrical power uninterrupted is major! Air conditioning is a staple we often forget. It is hard to realize how dependent we have become on air conditioning. I grew up without AC. After I was married we got it and kept it! Same with cars; added AC to all new car purchases after the age of 25!   

Refrigeration and freezers are a convenience we overlook frequently. I remember the day that ice cream was a major food decision because our freezer compartment was too small to hold a half gallon container! We planned buying and eating ice cream according to the freezer space. The same with refrigerator space. As these applicances became larger and more efficient, we bought more capacity. Convenience extended to buying more frozen foods for quick menu creations and buying at sale prices.

The downside of course is the financial loss when the power is lost for a time long enough to spoil food. That’s what happened to us; probably about $300 worth.

Still, all is well. We now value AC much more and look at the refrigerator and freezer with heightened respect! Now our refuge is in our own home!

May your summer be enjoyable and safe. That includes manageable temperatures, too!

July 6, 2012

Do's, Don't's and a Solution

From the Internet (of course! I do this so you don’t have to!):

“Don’t like cigarettes? Don’t smoke them.

Don’t like abortions? Don’t get one.

Don’t like sex? Don’t do it.

Don’t like drugs? Don’t use them.

Don’t like porn? Don’t watch it.

Don’t like alcohol? Don’t drink it.

Don’t like gay marriages? Don’t have one.

Don’t like guns? Don’t buy one.

Don’t like your rights taken away?

Don’t take away someone else’s.”

If I watch my own side of the street (my own life), my hands are full. I have no right or entitlement to judge others. Their hands are full managing their own lives. So leave them to the task. Should they experience problems due to their ‘do’s’, they will figure out how to handle them. If they need help in doing so, they will ask and we will help. That is their job to do, and ours too. Leave the judgment out of the equation. We will all get along a lot better!

Of course the above also applies to legislation. There is no need to make laws on most of the items. Minister to the problems that come from some of the practices – drunk driving, crimes committed with guns, etc. – and demonstrate that we can live well by helping others. First we have to let the others make their own decisions and mistakes.

Also from the Internet, a quote from President Obama:

“There are some in Congress right now who would rather see their opponents lose than America win. And that’s got to stop. We’re supposed to all be on the same team. Especially during tough times.”

To that I say Amen! How many problems have been lifted up for solution? How many proposed solutions have we heard from the White House? How much discussion in Congress have we had on these proposals? And how were the decisions made? Partisan lines only? Yes, for the most part.

The issues include:

• Bank regulatory reform
• Deficit reduction plans
• Affordable health care for more people
• Access to health care for the poorest among us
• Education for all who are deserving of it
• Alternative energy creation to reduce oil and gasoline demand
• International cooperation and collaboration to manage terrorism
• Job creation by funding infrastructure maintenance
• Immigration reform

sThese are just a few topics. There are many more.

The White House has started many conversations with proposals to act on, to alter and expand upon. That takes teamwork within Congress and throughout the political world nationwide. Instead we have obstructionism. We have nitpicking. Those who are against everything related to the ‘other political side’ do not propose alternate solutions. They just stop progress. They do that so the other guy doesn’t get credit for solving a problem. Well, he hasn’t, but neither have they. So both get the credit for accomplishing nothing.

The republican leadership has a great deal to answer for. Their incivility and divisiveness is poisonous to our nation. I hold them responsible for that circumstance. Only they can solve that issue so we can go on and solve the rest of the problems.

This is America where no problem is too big for creative solutions. I firmly believe that. But when the politicians play games to the point of hurting all of us, it is high time for us, the voters, to retake control of the nation from them.

Consider that, please. It is not term limits (we can discuss that another time). It is about leadership and followership. It takes both to make a working government.

A solution I suggest for starters is this:

1. Remove from office all senators and representatives who have not authored a bill or sponsored one with a ghost of a chance to solve the problem being addressed
2. Remove from office all politicians who have not addressed with their own solutions the top ten issues facing the United States of America
3. Elect only those candidates who do have clearly written proposals for solving at least three problems we currently face
4. Eventually reduce the size of the Senate and House of Representatives by half. Only one senator per state; only half the congressional representatives we now have. The Congress at 535 seats is way too big a board of directors to be manageable. Force each elected federal office holder to represent more of his citizens’ needs and views so they focus on what’s good for all of us, not just special interest groups
5. Fund all federal elections from the US Treasury: $1 million for each senate candidate; $250,000 for each representative candidate. All private funds are to be illegal. No special interest funding of any kind will be allowed
6. Change congressional rules to a simple majority for passage of bills; super majorities are not allowed
7. Eliminate all arcane congressional rules not understandable in plain English in less than 125 words
8. House of Representatives elected to four year terms, not two year terms.

That’s it. Simplify the whole shebang. It is currently unworkable. But to acquire these changes each of us needs to get off our fannies and get involved. You don’t have to be elected to do this; just speak up and lead the charge toward sanity. Please?

Now, who will step forward to do this? I’ll volunteer but would rather not. Or at least help get it started and then withdraw to the background.

Any takers?

July 5, 2012

The Saga Continues...

The power is back on after 51 hours of being out. Our bouncing to other family homes is over. Our neighborhood thinned out as people sought out air conditioned space and the usual amenities: showers, water, toilets, and lights. The basics.  Ahhh! And the elderly found power to run their health appliances: oxygen pumps, inhalation equipment, refrigeration for medications – all the things that allow them to live independent lives; as much as possible anyway.

Now on to other things,

The heat continues. Breezes are easing the discomfort, but humidity is near 50% which is muggy for most people. The skies are blue with intermittent haze. We are told the haze is actually smoke from New Mexico and Colorado wildfires. We believe it. In harsh winters we have received top soil dust from the Dakotas and Nebraska. That dust settled on our snow cap and through the winter we could see the strata of each storm, separated by dust from the plains.

Yesterday’s heat was 97 degrees. Today’s is projected to top 100; and so too the following two days. Unusual weather for Illinois. Says something about weather cycles, I think. Global warming is part of it; not all, but part. We harm our planet at our own risk. Wise to do something about it for future generations. Those are our future generations, so we would be doing it for our own families.

Nasty political climate in our nation. Shameful. Non factual statements being made by too many; soon they will believe their own lies as fact. The world is flat you know. The sun revolves around the Earth. The world was made in 6 days, and on the 7^th God rested. The dinosaurs, ancient Chinese, our long ago Hebraic cousins, all came from the same timeline.

How then does carbon dating tell us some elements of our planet are 10 billion years old, others are 2 billion years old, and still other plant and animal remains are 100 million years old? What kind of day was it, I wonder? 6 days and then He rested? Can’t be our kind of days. Or years for that matter. Hmm.

Got this off the Internet yesterday: “When someone special walks into your life and is able to change things for the better, don’t ever let them walk away.”

Who might those someones be in your life? Special friends? Acquaintances? Neighbors, coworkers. Maybe a boss or an employee? Perhaps a fellow church member? Who ever it is, keep them close and help them. Be a part of the upswing in life.

Being a part of something good, something big requires our attention. Paying attention and lending a hand if we agree with the work to be done. Pulling together like the tribe when they planted their first hoped-for crop. Or maybe grinding down a side of a stone to make the first wheel under the supervision of a friend who seemed to have this furious idea. Someone was there to see it, to help with it.

Are we still made of this ‘stuff’? Can we participate in the creation of what is to come that is good? Or will we sit on our hands and witness the collapse of that which we say is good?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said once, “Cowardice asks the question: Is it safe?

                                                         Expediency asks the question: Is it politic?

                                                         Vanity asks the question: Is it popular?

                                                But conscience asks the question: Is it right?

                                            And then comes a time one must take a position that

        is neither safe, nor politic nor popular – but one

        must take it simply because it is right.”

Doing the right thing at the right time. Because it is the right thing to do. Not easy to do, but right to do. This is painful, hard work. But it comes with rewards.  With struggle we empower the self to grow into its highest form.

A good goal for each of us and for our nation. The two go together. There are no simple answers. Just cooperation and hard work.

Is this democratic republic ready to take on the challenges we are called on to do? Are we ready to help it along?

This is the right day to ask that question of ourselves!

July 4, 2012