Representation Without Taxation

Let us first explain the title to today’s essay for those who have been educated in America in the last thirty years.  In colonial days, the British controlled the comings and goings of the American colonies under the court of George III – a monarch not known for his liberalism much less good common sense.  George and his minions (think today’s democrats – Barry, Harry, Nancy, Ben et.al.) had a penchant for wasteful spending; too many foreign involvements; lots of government employees and gun toting bureaucrats and a penchant for taking care of their own – back then the gang were lords and dukes and duchesses.  As a result of these costly activities, George and his gang were deep in debt (sound familiar?)  So they levied taxes wherever they could get away with it and they mistakenly thought that they could get away with it in the American colonies.  Instead there was a movement that was simply fed up with their wasteful ways and, upon being subjected to the new tax levies, a revolution commenced.  One of its rallying slogans was – no taxation without representation.  Which simply meant we are ready to govern ourselves and not be subjected to paying for your nonsense given that we don’t even have a voice in determining your nonsense.

In case you were not taught about the outcome of this series of events – your country was created by this fed-up group of people who were opposed to wasteful spending.  These folk would rather choose a freedom concept in which they and their neighbors took responsibility for their future.  They set up a new country based on very limited government because they had too long suffered under the control of irresponsible, self dealing bureaucrats and tyrants.

This is American history.  It is a story for the ages.  America’s movement to throw off government involvement in their everyday lives and take responsibility for their everyday affairs and future began a freedom of the individual movement that, to this day, is still unfolding in despotically controlled peoples in the world.  To this day, there are human beings who are giving their lives, their fortunes, their very future to breathe the air of freedom and responsibility.   240 years after the American colonists took up arms to get rid of heavy handed government, other people in the world are still following their example. 

Giving it away in the hope that government might make something better for someone is a betrayal of profound significance.  There is no government bureaucracy in the history of the world that has ever made a people’s life better.  People come together when necessary to improve their condition or prevent someone else from dominating them.  And then they go back to earning their living; educating their children and helping their neighbors.  This is our history, up until 40 or 50 years ago. 

In America today, money is taken from taxpayers – a dwindling minority and spent on programs and wars and so many unnecessary activities that are the consequence of elected politicians and their uncountable numbers of hired bureaucrats who are put and maintained in their places of authority by a majority of Americans who are no longer taxpayers.  A majority of Americans now are the recipients or the beneficiaries of the government spending to the extent that they are able to levy taxes on the minority through a distortion of the one man – one vote republican/democratic principle. The colonists fought to get rid of government and exercise their own vote which, at the time, included the responsibility to pay taxes.  Today, you get to vote and not pay taxes.  This is the great distortion of our time.

In the last 50 years, congress has taken the democratic concepts of no taxation without representation and one man – one vote and mutated it into a tyranny of those who get without giving.  The price we pay for this distorted form of tyranny is the abandonment of democracy and the replacement with a government of bureaucracy.  Instead of the bureaucrats of the king and his court we now have the bureaucracy of the voters – the majority which does not pay for that which they maintain with their ballot.  Think about that – this bureaucracy that no one wants to deal with is maintained because it is the only way for the majority to keep control over the minority that pays for it. 

Go figure how to rebel against this situation.  240 years ago it was not even conceivable.

Can We Talk Values ?

Mr. Obama now represents American values both at home and abroad (Hillary likes to help when it comes to lecturing our foreign friends.)  In his job he gets to regularly cite his view about American values on a variety of topics – business, commerce, education, health care, taking care of others, race relations and Islam.

Islam?  Why did that sneak into the list?  Well, he says Islam is a peaceful and tolerant religion and that it is only its small group of radical members who don’t follow those peaceful and tolerant precepts.  In other words Islam is consistent with American values.  We too are a peaceful and tolerant people (unless you mess with us) with the one possible exception of our tendency to incarcerate citizens for possession of certain flora specimens.

Okay – we’ll buy into that for the time being.

Now, in America, over the brief lifetime of this essayist, we can recall a number of interesting “religion” based occurrences.  To wit –

·         God is dead; get rid of God from the public arena; don’t subject anyone to God except in the church, temple or mosque of their voluntary choosing

·         Criticism of certain religions is commonplace, particularly if only men can be priests or they like bingo or don’t want to pay for or provide birth control and abortions to their female employees.  As a matter of fact, we now will use the power of the government to force such payments

·         Public ridicule of the images and historical characters of certain religious figures is to be tolerated – government will not and cannot prevent such displays – Jesus in urine or Mary in drag or whatever

·         No public moneys for private or parochial education – no vouchers – no funding of school choice – if you want your kid to attend religious school you get to pay twice – once for the public school you choose to not use and again for the school of your choice.  Sorry, no madrassa vouchers  

·         Public education cannot teach the possibility that there is a God or that some form of Power or Whatever could have had some Hand in the very scheme of things or the very being of things – taboo; save it for Saturday/Sunday school

Enough examples – you can probably come up with others and better ones.

So, can Islam exist in a society with this set of values is our question?

Deny the existence of God or his messenger or his book – Quran?

Make fun of any aspect of Islam similar to the examples offered above?

Shut out any reference to any aspect of Islam in any government activity or place?

Prohibit any public funds going to any Islamic activity?  Yep, that means no madrassa vouchers.

What would change if America were to behold a growing and substantial indigenous Islam population?  American values or Islamic values?  OMG.  Is it okay to even ask these questions?   How does one reconcile the concept of fatwa with that freedom of speech and religion business?  Shut up – best to not ask that question either.  We had better stop with this entire exercise right now before we go too far. 

ps:  It seems, and we may be wrong about this, that the only sure confluence of American values and Islamic values is the interweaving thread of imposed political correctness.  Which political correctness will prevail?   Don’t know but we think it will be easy to slide from one to the other. 

By the way, Halloween is almost upon us - don't be surprised if those costumes are going to be in for a "values" discussion soon.

 

A Football Analogy

Inasmuch as it is fall and the autumnal equinox has arrived, we know that college and professional football will now dominate almost every gathering; every family event; and most couplings involving couples; and because we are also expecting and wondering about the outcome of a major quadrennial election in our great land the first Tuesday of November, TheFundamentals would like to offer a pertinent analogy.

Here is the analogy – the replacement referees of the NFL and the Obama administration –

·         It appears that they both are trying and we do choose that word deliberately because of its double entendre

·         It appears that they both suffer from a lack of practical knowledge and application of the rules which work to the detriment of those who depend on the activities which they oversee – in one case, knowing and applying the rules of football to assure a competitive contest and, in the other case, knowing and applying the fundamentals of fiscal discipline and economic incentives to assure a competitive economy

·         Neither is particularly successful at what they were put on the field, or in the houses of government, to do although they do put a good face on their endeavors (i.e. dress appropriately; show up on time usually and speak in complete sentences)

·         It appears that they both wish to be liked

·         It appears that both set of individuals seem to take themselves seriously even though many of us observing them “at work” are finding it increasingly difficult to share that view

·         It appears that they probably are good men (and one woman in the case of the referees) and women and that they probably are very likable off the field (or at home with their constituents) and we would even be willing to venture that their kids look forward to their homecoming, and

·         It appears that the sooner they are replaced with trained professionals, the better off we all will be!

Sometimes one does not have to look very far or in too many corners to learn the valuable lessons of life; what we call, The Fundamentals.  It is a fundamental that if one is serious about their work, it is always best to hire workers who have paid their dues; studied hard and have a predictable record of success – be it on the gridiron or in the halls of congress and, most importantly, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Let’s bring the professionals back ASAP.

If America had a real media...

…here are a few reports/stories they would follow –

1.    Chicago mayor spends lifetime catering and conceding to public employee unions and now finds himself at their mercy with an empty bank account.  He has agreed to make payments to a teachers union group for which he has no funds?  If we do that, it is called "fraud."

2.    Hillary travels to China.  Top guy stands her up.  State media suggests she “has brought extremely profound mistrust” to China – US relations and that she is disliked.  Others suggest that she fools with the Chinese at great peril to her country.  Coverage?  Slim to none.

3.    Obama says he saved American auto industry and saved millions of car jobs in many states.  News to Ford, Honda, BMW, Daimler-Benz, Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota and Kia.  Obama says GM top car producer in world now – news to Toyota.  GM requests that US sell remaining shares of stock it owns in GM – government says ‘no.”

4.    Obama says US of A could not have known about the turn of events in North Africa and the Middle East – all the turmoil is due to sophomoric video produced by nutcase – don’t blame us – its someone else’s fault.  Sound familiar?

5.    Obama blames Bush II for huge American debt build up over EIGHT years of his presidency.  Obama ignores even larger buildup of American debt over FOUR years of his presidency.  Media ignores the issue.

6.    Obama administration files unfair trade action against China claiming they are subsidizing their auto industry.  We kid you not.  This is completely true.  Obama announces this trade practice in Ohio during a campaign stop – where his gang recently raved about their claims in #3 above.  Ohio has several auto plants.  Transparency?  You bet – only not the variety Obama promised  during his last campaign in Ohio four years ago.

7.    Value of the US claim against China in #6 above – about $1 billion.  Amount that US of A still has "invested" in GM that has not been returned – about $15 billion.  We kid you not.  Old saying - don't bother with the speck in your neighbor's eye while ignoring the log in yours.  Wonder why the Chinese "mistrust" Hillary?

8.    As of today, North Africa and the Middle East are in great turmoil; China ridicules our trade and alliances positions and our missile shield movements; Russia ignores our efforts for cooperation on Iran and China/Korea/Japan are in the midst of growing border disputes.  Mexico is run by thugs spending money earned selling drugs to and financed by US of A.  Media claims Obama is top foreign relations president.  This media is pathetic.

9.    The Federal Reserve has accumulated trillions of dollars of US government bonds and mortgage backed securities – claiming it is doing it as a form of “quantitative easing.”  It has no legislative authorization to so act.  Could it not, at least, disclose what the effect would be on the US debt position if those bonds were sold in the open market?  Who would have purchased them and at what interest rate?

10. What is the true financial condition of the United States?  If a public company issues securities – stock or bonds, it must make financial statements public – have them independently audited – and its key officers must sign under penalty of perjury and other laws that the information is complete and accurate.  Why is there no similar obligation for America’s largest bond issuer – the federal government?  Signatures required, under penalty of law, from president, treasury secretary and fed chairman?  By the way, each American filing a federal tax return must sign a similar pledge. 

 

It took us about ten minutes to compile this list of 10 items that are either in the news this week or are on the minds of most thinking Americans.  What does it mean to our republic when these issues are not publicly examined?  Several things.  We don't know much about our debt and we don't have any information about the medium and long term effect of this level of debt.  We don't have examination of our foreign policy - we just keep doing what the administration and embedded bureaucracies deem is in their interest.  Trade policy is now political - as are bailouts and public employee unions.  Most of all we don't know much about our financial condition.  Our gut tells us it is bad - but those who are responsible are not held responsible so they can continue to make short term decisions that benefit their selfish positions to the detriment of our long term good.  Even though they demand accountability in the private sector.  It is not Wall Street and banks that are threatening our very national security - it is our debt.

The Hollywood media in America will not cover these stories or raise questions about these issues.  Why?  Because any exposure will cause a rapid decline in support for Mr. Obama and the Democrat candidates supported by the Hollywood media.  Just as Bernanke is doing his utmost to reelect Democrats and Obama - so too is the media; both are acting with extreme prejudice to the well being of the American republic.

Shoot the Messenger(s) – In Their Own Words

The chattering class, what Democrats call “the informed media” and what TheFundamentals accurately calls “the Hollywood media” is clamoring for Romney’s skin for remarks he made about the economic motivations of many of those who support Mr. Obama.  In rational society, Mr. Romney’s observations would be called the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  In a court of law, Romney would be required to answer as he did and, in our opinion, it is darn well time for him to lay it out and let the 53% that do work and pay taxes decide how long they wish to carry the 47%.

But that is only a prelude to today’s essay which is really not of our making but the composition of five economic scholars – Schultz, Boskin, Cogan, Meltzer and Taylor.  Please go to:  http://www.hoover.org/news/128226 and you will find a link toward the end of this brief article that will take you to the full text of their jointly prepared essay entitled, “Magnitude of the Mess We’re In”

We advise Mr. Romney to read the essay – reread it – redo his entire campaign based on the 10 or 12 very simply stated issues in this essay and then get about formulating a message to deliver to the American people in the upcoming debates that there is no more time to tolerate the misdeeds of the current administration.  These five men make this simple statement – 

“The problems are close to being unmanageable now. If we stay on the current path, they will wind up being completely unmanageable, culminating in an unwelcome explosion and crisis.”

As you know the media will not cover this economic/debt/fed money printing situation and will not provide either analysis of the issues discussed in this composition nor a forum for the discussion of these problems.  If Romney does not do it, then who will?  Yesterday, the PBS newshour devoted an entire segment to one scientist who had moved from the skeptical side of the global warming debate to the “it’s a problem side.”  Here are five trusted economists and scholars who are telling us in clear terms that America is headed toward disaster – yet, no coverage of their message.  Their facts are indisputable – but no media mention.  They prefer to criticize the man out of power rather than analyze the disastrous domestic and foreign policies of those in power.  They have it completely backwards.

Again, here is the link - http://www.hoover.org/news/128226

If you want to “shoot a messenger(s)” it is time for us to line up and shout out the disaster that this administration, this congress and this fed chairman are creating each day they remain in office.  They are the ones in power who should be targeted for media disdain, not the messengers.

 

All Elections are Local

We are paraphrasing a politician’s observation that “all politics is local.”

This election – in November 2012, is very, very local.  Obama sees it and he is counting on Romney’s not seeing it until it is too late.  Romney plays around with “local” issues but his overall approach – Obama is a bad steward and things will not get better unless we get rid of him – is not bringing the real issues home to those whose votes can still be influenced.

What are these local issues?

1.    Debt – responsible working citizen know that no one, including the local school district, the county park system or the state’s financial condition can withstand endless, increases in public debt.  They want the debt rise to stop; they want debt to be paid down; not endlessly increased.

2.    Lousy levels of public services – look at the roads in your town; look at the sidewalks, examine the reports about the condition of the sewage and water systems; street lights; the list goes on and one – money that is taken from taxpayers to provide tangible, good public products and services is now earmarked for hired public employees – their wages and benefits – not for the needed services.

3.    Schools.  Affluent towns just pay up – urban dwellers learn to live with it and hope for the best.  If you live near a town like Chicago and query the parents of suburban school age children, you will hear such negative, derisive comments about the politics, the politicians, the teachers, the unions and the horribly despicable circumstances that urban kids experience.  Most suburban parents shake their heads and simply ask, “Why do they put up with it?”  The Chicago school/strike situation is the mother of all political gifts – Romney has done nothing with it.

4.    Unions.   Touchy issue?  You bet.  But there is more anti-public employee union sentiment now than ever before.  And don’t forget – the current governors of Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey and Florida did not get their jobs by being pro government unionization.  Romney is doing nothing with this issue.  Nothing.

5.    Gas supply and prices.  Let’s focus on both even though today the focus is price; not supply.  We all need gas.  But it takes little foresight to predict that the radicalization of North Africa and the entire Middle East will jeopardize our oil supply.  Mr. Obama cares nothing about our oil supply in the sense of strategic planning – he thinks clean energy and escalating mileage standards will win the day.  He was not here in the 70’s when supply was a real problem.  Once again, Romney does little or nothing with this issue.

6.    Government employee pensions – no private citizen, unless you work in Hollywood or your last name is Buffett, enjoys a defined benefit pension provided generously to you at an earlier age and at a higher amount than a government employee.  Romney has taken no stand against this excess. 

7.    Government employment levels and pay scales and benefits.  Too high; too high; too high.  Must be cut back.  Romney says nothing but vagaries.

8.    Investments, interest payment on their bank deposits, inflation and malaise.  Every middle class family is dealing with some level of these issues.  Deal with the previous seven and these go away.  Romney needs to tell that story, if he can.

9.    There are a couple of issues that transcend the local – let’s just combine them here and call them – war and our peace loving, tolerant Islamic neighbors across the sea.  Most everyone who is not employed in the military industrial complex is just plain fed up with both.  Most everyone grasps that we are hated by most everyone living in North Africa and the Middle East and, except for that fuel supply/price issue (see #5 above); we want little or nothing to do with the entire, vast region – at least for a while, while they sort out their differences and issues.  Romney is on the wrong side of this situation; particularly with his Israel first leanings.

 That’s our take.  He (Romney) has less than six weeks to focus and compose a message/delivery combination that works.  On the other hand, if he ain't there now he most likely never will be and if he needs us to point it out, he most likely doesn’t deserve the job anyway.  We hope we’re wrong. 

Foreign Affairs - Through a Media Shroud

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to settle for the Hollywood media’s distorted version of precarious American foreign policy unless we Americans wish to end up with the same set of misguided policies with our friends and allies overseas that we have brought to our homeland’s freedom and economic situation.  If that is our objective, then all we need do is follow what is going on now in the media as we have followed them with their distorted presentation on our rapid decline in freedom; our rapid decline in manufacturing; our rapid decline in health care cost/benefit performance; our rapid decline in education outcomes, particularly in urban schools; our rapid decline in tax revenues; our rapid decline in working, taxpaying citizens; and our rapid decline in jobs for new college graduates and urban black youth.

That, simply put, is the only problem with having an entertainment, ideologue based media to replace what we need – a fundamental based, constantly questioning authority media.  We already have a foreign press which sees America vastly differently that our media presents the current administration.

Here are a few very recent examples:

Hillary is glorified by the American Hollywood media.  Read this report from China’s official newspaper – “"Many people in China dislike Hillary Clinton," said an editorial in the state-run Global Times.”She has brought new and extremely profound mutual distrust between the mainstream societies of the two countries."  What was the occasion of this commentary?  Her pending visit.  Seldom do state run mouthpieces blast the visitor in China before his/her arrival.  You may ask why she was there; what were the objectives of her visit and what did she accomplish?  Well, here is the report from The Telegraph, a London newspaper – “On what may be her final trip to China as America's top diplomat, Hillary Clinton failed to find any agreement over Syria or the South China Sea and saw her meeting with the country's next president cancelled.”  Nothing happened.  China’s leader didn’t even show up for the meeting.  Hillary went to China to be stood up.  Did you know that?

We have no interest in making political hay out of the tragic death our America’s ambassador to Libya.  As a matter of fact, if you wish to learn a bit about this man we would direct you to this website for a brief video made by him upon taking over the diplomatic responsibilities in Libya.  Please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGk4vUcGzY0  

Is it reasonable however to ask a few questions about what is going on in the Middle East?  Or, more pointedly, what the heck is America doing so visibly involved in this neck of the woods given that they hate us?  What could our media be asking?  Well, why did the American embassy issue a statement condemning the silly video about the prophet which was then dismissed by the white house?  What are the rules about such statements?  And why jump on someone for taking exception to such a statement when the very same statement is countered by the president himself?  Wouldn’t it make much more sense to question those in authority about their handling of the matter rather than making the focus of attention the candidate running for office?  It seems crystal clear to this observer that the media will do anything to avoid the missteps of the people in power and do everything to amplify the “missteps” of those who seek to replace the people in power.  That is exactly the same process that brings us to our wallowing and unhopeful economic situation at home.  Do you wish the same thing for our foreign relations too?

One other question that we would pose about this current Middle Eastern mess.  We apparently know that there is a great deal of lawlessness and armed bands of thugs rooting around the Libyan countryside.  At least we are talking about it a day or two after the attack on our consulate in Benghazi.  We didn’t know this two or three day ago?  So we have an unprotected outpost in a land occupied by armed thugs who don’t like us and we send our ambassador into this situation unprotected?  And no one can question that situation?  No one can ask why not shut the place down?  Why do we need a Benghazi outpost?  Are we totally nuts?  Why do we send marines there after the fact? Have you noticed that we (our government that is) always seem to be a day late?  But never a dollar short? 

The Hollywood media is pursuing a policy of don’t ask – don’t tell when it comes to America’s current administration.  In the meantime, those who want to know must go outside America to get the facts and find a few journalists who either ask pointed questions or just tell the truth.

Here is a recent report that raises many more questions than it answers.  From a foreign source, of course – http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/revealed-inside-story-of-us-envoys-assassination-8135797.html

 

Educating Rahm Emanuel

Civics Lesson Plan for Rahm Emanuel, recent transfer from Washington DC and new mayor of Chicago – Fall 2012 

Lesson one:   It is not that Karen Lewis and her friends in the AFL-CIO; SEIU, AFSCME and the local police and firemen’s union don’t like you.  It is not that they think they cannot work with you.  These are not their real feelings.  Not their real objectives.  You see, they live in a world of great expectation and entitlement based on having been given the company store for decades.  The previous store manager – a somewhat diminutive man like you handed them the daily receipts.  He even mortgaged some of the store assets.  He learned this behavior at his father’s knee.  He actually sold some of the stores assets – earning assets – things that he didn’t own – just to keep Karen and her friends peaceful – you know, “on the job.”

Lesson two:  Mr. Mayor don’t take this personally.  It is not about you.  Other than this one little fact.  You wanted the job even though the store assets have either been sold or mortgaged; all the store receipts are accounted for and go to the gang listed above and, this is the real kicker, all future receipts are also earmarked for the CTU, the SEIU, AFSCME and the AFL-CIO.

Lesson three:  It’s tough to be boss when you don’t have any control over the money, isn’t it?  Heck it’s tough to be boss when it turns out you’re just the paymaster.  Accept the fact that you are their paymaster.

Lesson four:  So, here’s what you can do – even though it will not quite fit into that vision you have of yourself.  You go along to get along.  You cave in to the union demands.  You get them everything they want.  You let them run the schools even though, in name only, the principals and the board will be still “on the job.”  And then you do two other things –

Lesson five:   You hire David Axelrod to spin it to make it look like you won, and

 

Lesson six:  You beg, pray, campaign for and maybe even cram the ballot box and hope that your good buddy Barry wins one more term and sends you some cash.  They will help you get more cash.  Hint: they like tax increases to get more cash.

Lesson seven:  Your new bosses will stage a few demonstrations and basically, on a small but nevertheless very visible scale, shut down the city.  Perhaps at rush hour.  Clog the downtown streets.  While the police and other unionized city/county employees just stand by.  By the way, Rahm, they may be standing by but they are watching you very closely.  You see Rahm, you are a union pawn – bought and paid for by Karen Lewis and her friends.  Get used to it.  We all learn to adapt.  Even to being the public employee unions bitch.  That’s really all these lessons aim for – helping you adapt to your new job.  They will even make you their top bitch.  Your initiation is underway.

The Attack on Teacher's Unions

"Education is one issue where it should be easy to find common purpose and common solutions. And I believe the president must be troubled by the lack of progress since he took office. Most likely, he would have liked to do more. But the teachers unions are one of the Democrats’ biggest donors — and one of the president’s biggest campaign supporters. So President Obama has been unable to stand up to union bosses — and unwilling to stand up for kids," Romney said.

"He can’t talk up reform while indulging the groups that block it. He can’t be the voice of disadvantaged public-school kids, and the protector of special interests," Romney said. "President Obama has made his choice, and I have made mine: as president, I will be a champion of real education reform in America, and I won’t let any special interest get in the way. We have to stop putting campaign cash ahead of our kids."

The above quotes come from a speech Romney made to the Latino Coalition in Washington DC in May of this year.

Here is a bit more – "As president, I will give the parents of every low-income and special-needs student the chance to choose where their child goes to school. For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student, so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school, or to a private school, where permitted. And I will make that choice meaningful by ensuring there are sufficient options to exercise it," Romney said.

TheFundamentals would ask you to ask yourself this question – Why shouldn’t parents have choice in selecting a school for their children?  Why should there be a public monopoly that provides taxpayer funded education?  Is education the same as the electric current coming into your house or apartment?  One choice.  Is it the same regardless of where you live?  The same current; same result?   Turn on a switch and the light goes on?  Mission accomplished?

We think not.  We think education is multi- faceted and we think many parents take responsibility for their child’s education the same way they take responsibility for their child’s safety; upbringing; religion; manners and conduct.  They measure opportunity; challenge; results.  Unless they only have one choice.  Then they fight and struggle and compromise to get the best they can knowing that their only choice, particularly in urban schools,  is a dismal product if measured by other standards.

Unless and until teacher unions support outcome based education results as the dominant factor in pay scale, benefits and teacher retention, their product – union protection of lesser standards will be under attack. Unless and until teachers union support parental choice of school selection for all parents, their product – union protection of lesser standards will be under attack.

Obama and Democrats may like teacher union votes and their campaign contributions and they obviously are willing to sacrifice Americas kids for these selfish motives, but nothing can diminish the very obvious hypocrisy of selling out kids for personal gain and stature.  We can think of no culture – other than American culture – that tolerates this shameful behavior.  No one can make a parent be responsible.  Now,  America provides many parents with a built in excuse for not being responsible.

The attack on teachers unions has only one objective and one acceptable outcome – the elimination of those unions.  The union defends poor performance under the guise of caring about kids.  And the Democrats buy in to that position.  If you vote for any Democrat you are buying into poor urban education outcomes.  At least until the Democrat party rejects teachers unions.

That is a strategy that is long overdue in America.

 

 Karen Lewis, head of Chicago Teachers Union - on strike today - for herself(ish) reasons

PS:  What is wrong with this essay?  Education and teachers unions are not really a national issue; they are a local/state issue.  Sure, the feds could swing some weight but the real change must be local because most education funding is local.  Unless and until local voters stop electing anyone who panders to a teachers union or union bosses (see above), their influence continues.  A simple start to reform is to eliminate the school district collection of teacher union dues – let the union collect from their membership directly.  Let the teacher’s mail in their checks every month.  Elected officials, pass a law – make all union dues voluntary.  It’s a start.

The Poster Girl for American Governance

Here is the poster girl for American governance, circa 2012:

 

This is unionized government.  Here are Karen Lewis’ key credentials –

·         D  emocrat

·         U  nion

·         M  inority

·         B  ureaucratic

Go to any of America’s larger states, larger cities, larger counties and you will find either this exact combination or a close proximity thereto demanding something from taxpayers for non taxpayers.  Her selling pitch?   Well, you’ve heard it:  helping the kids; moving forward; who built it/who didn’t; equal opportunity; level the playing field for all and don’t balance the budget on the backs of the poor.

Karen runs a union filled with minorities and democrats (if you are black it is one and the same) and their version of democracy is a tad different than the principles of the declaration of independence and the constitution.  They exist in states that force union membership and force collective bargaining and force feed their contracts on politicians and bureaucrats who share their common traits.  In the process, democracy goes out the window and bureaucratic government prevails.  In Illinois where Karen rules the roost, the taxpayer has no voice – none – the system is locked down – democracy left years ago.  It has been replaced with unionized government employees (bureaucrats) who are overwhelmingly democrats.

Karen and her friends now are American governance in many of America’s largest states, cities and counties.

Don’t ask again why America has fallen way behind its competitors who really are moving forward.  No need.  Just print the picture above – place it prominently in your home – this is where your money goes and this is who leads America today.

In His Own Words - Clint Eastwood

 



 

 

"We own this country."     "Politicians are employees of ours."    "When somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.  Let them go."  

Why is Rahm in Charlotte?

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In His Own Words - Bill Clinton

First, here's Bill, some months back - in his own words and logic:

 

 

 

Then, in their own words - Biden chimes in; Bill still thinks it's about him:

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a Mom, in her own words:

 

 

 

 It's not just this Mom who thinks these fellows are out of touch and disgusting.