![The Current State of the Union(s)]()
by lhay_knews
Unions.
There is a word which is currently stirring much thought and commentary.
With all due solemnity and respect for the people of Japan, I would say that Madison, Wisconsin is the epicenter of an earthquake which is sending tremors into every state capital of our country.
What’s all the hubbub, bub?
In case you have been living in a cave, allow me to enlighten you. Desperate economic times have apparently called for desperate measures. State legislatures are looking for ways to cut spending, and they have uncovered a very interesting phenomenon. Government unions have been very adroit in negotiating excellent financial compensation for their members, including fringe benefits which are outpacing the benefits of many employees in the private sector.
Governors, emboldened by the example of their counterpart in Wisconsin, are attempting to change collective bargaining laws, so, in the very least, unions do not have as much, if any, control over wages and benefits. Asking government union employees to pay more of their “fair share†of benefits has resulted in millions of dollars of proposed government savings.
Well, you would think that mass murderers have been cornered in the town square, because lynch mobs have formed against “both sides†of this dispute. Protests have gone on unabated for days. Teachers obtained false doctor’s notes excusing their absences from school, since some of these states are no-strike states. Re-call elections have been proposed in multiple states, and no mercy is being shown to bold governors or legislators who chose to leave their jobs and cross state lines for several weeks of – shall we say – “vacation.†(What’s up with that?! Both Wisconsinites and Indianans sought “refuge†in Illinois!)
Please allow me to share my experiences with and views about unions. At their inception, unions served very useful purposes. Especially during the Industrial Revolution, managers were responsible for horrific abuses of working hours, conditions, pay, and benefits. Employees formed unions to [...]
![The Current State of the Union(s)]()
by lws
With the release of his long term budget plan “The Path to Prosperity†there is no doubt that Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan is not only the talk of the town in Washington, but also the talk of cable news, YouTube, the blogosphere, my house, the White House, and probably even the Keebler Elf’s tree house (though I can’t quite get a read on how they lean politically). The fact that he has dominated the discussion across the Country for the last few days can’t be argued. I would take it a step further though. I would argue that Paul Ryan is the most significant Republican in America and will remain so through 2012, and that includes the eventual Republican Presidential nominee.
Exhibit #1 in making this case starts with the obvious; he has replaced talk with an actual plan. The American people know what instinct tells all humans, when you are facing a problem you need a plan solve it. While literally no one deemed the release of the Obama administrations budget last month a problem solving strategy, compared to mere words in the ether from Republicans the contrast required to reveal the extent of its weakness was nonexistent. Without contrast your position is without strength. Fundamentally this is the advantage [...]
![The Current State of the Union(s)]()
by lws
If you did not know freshmen Kentucky Senator Rand Paul prior, and you attended Saturday night’s Iowa Republican Party event “Night of the Rising Stars†. . . then you certainly know him now.
I will get to Senator Paul, the evenings keynote speaker, momentarily but first let us briefly deal with the atmosphere and the purpose of the night’s event—recognizing the up and comers in the Iowa Republican Party. The crowd of 300-400 took to their seats in the warm, ornate theatre of the Hoyt Sherman Place largely to celebrate the impressive and hard won gains by Iowa Republicans in the last election cycle. The program included very short remarks from Senate Leader Paul McKinley, House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, Secretary of State Matt Schultz, Party Chairman Matt Strawn, and Governor Terry Branstad. Following Governor Branstad, Senator Chuck Grassley was brought up to introduce Senator Paul. I will spare you of the particulars, as the real story lay in the last two speakers, but will apprise you of a few things of note that did happen during the body of the program.
Believe it or not a quasi-disco atmosphere was attempted to be created, which was odd due to the advanced mean age of those in attendance. Thanks to a mirror ball hung from the ceiling, each speaker took to the stage under a shower of colored lights as the venue’s sound system blasted a song of their choosing. The “Rising Stars,†though some were in attendance, were mainly celebrated through videos which showed clips of them at the Statehouse telling the camera what they do for a living and why they chose to run for office. The crowd largely sat silent for the videos, with the exception of small outbursts of cheering at the appearances of Kim Pearson, Kent Sorenson, and Jack Whitver.
Thirty-one year old Secretary of State Matt Schultz provided the evenings first shot of energy with a robust presentation that included a fiery defense of his signature issue, requiring a photo ID be shown before voting. Party Chair Matt Strawn followed, in a warm and charismatic style, with a few words about [...]
![The Current State of the Union(s)]()
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Leave it to Mötley Crüe to be the prophets of the age. In 1989 they recorded their high-test Doctor Feelgood disc that contained the lead single by the same name. Besides being a musical treat, the song foretells (or retells) a very old story. Living amongst us, in the pit of our deepest worries, is the man that can make it all go away. We aren’t necessarily certain as to how he actually does it, but we really want to believe that he can do it. Even if it’s a hoax, that is just fine. We need a visit, every once-in-awhile, from the good Doctor Feelgood. It is the messianic story. And he is the agent in Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces. The chorus of the tune goes like this:
Let him soothe your soul, just take his hand
Some people call him an evil man
Let him introduce himself real good
He's the only one they call ‘Feelgood’
So, what does Dr. Feelgood’s tell us? Please, pull up a chair.
- All of our overwrought fears are completely unwarranted, senseless and harmful.
- We can all lock arms and work in a symphonic fashion to solve for any issues we might face.
- The data is “on his side†and that he (Dr. Feelgood) has a Gnostic understanding of its meaning.
- Everyone’s interests are
![The Current State of the Union(s)]()
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I'm not one to spend time commenting on something as innocuous as a movie, but I just finished watching something that was both compelling and surprising.
Davis Guggenheim's documentary "Waiting For Superman" had my attention for the entire 111 minutes, and I learned some important things about the successes of some alternative charter schools, the bureaucratic nightmares that have impeded some schools from succeeding, and most importantly the devastating stranglehold that the teacher's unions exert in ensuring that teachers are as demotivated as possible. The story of the attempts by the District of Columbia school district to partner with the teacher's union to create a pathway to success is scandalous, and clearly ensures that failing teachers never have to be held accountable.
I get why unions came to exist, and I get the fact that some unions may actually still create value in some situations. However, I think we are far past seeing any value in government and education unions. Watching the president of the American Federation of Teachers extoll [...]
![The Current State of the Union(s)]()
by lhay_knews
March 19th marked an unusual anniversary for me.
Eighteen years ago on that very day, I drank my last drop of alcohol.
Yes, it’s true. I am a tee-totaller. But before you declare me intolerant of those who drink, please hear my full story and how I came to the conviction of no longer drinking.
I never was a big drinker. I really didn’t like to put any substances in my body which would have inhibited my intellect or athletic abilities. I never tried any illegal drugs, and I especially abstained from alcohol when I was playing football. (I played high school and college ball.)
However, in the off-season, even when it was not legal for me to do so, I would drink a beer or two. Gin and tonics were my drink of choice in college. As an adult, I acquired a taste for cheap champagne. When I got married, I learned about the refreshing taste of Long Island Iced Tea, a mixed drink with five different shots of alcohol. I “celebrated†my successful defense of my doctoral thesis by drinking two of these concoctions, but I don’t remember much of the “celebration.â€
Still, I was not given to drunkenness very often when I was still drinking alcohol. There were periodic lapses in judgment, in that regard, but I generally maintained my self-discipline.
I maintained such [...]
