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Mid-term elections are those elections, primarily of all representatives, and one third of the senators. These elections can turn the fate of a newly elected president. If a newly elected president has had the majority support of Congress until this point, this election will be a referendum upon his first two years of service. If the people like what has been accomplished to date, they will vote for his party again, placing the Congress back under his party's control, if they are not pleased, it could swing the power pendulum to the other party, or worse, make it a draw, when nothing gets accomplished.
At the local levels, this election may have governors, state legislatures, referendums, initiatives, city, education votes, and any other miscellaneous elections. Usually a phamphlet is sent out to voters on these local issues. It is up to the voter to peruse these items and select the ones they can support. Usually money is involved or something to do with changing the state constitution. It is up to the voter to read, select what they can support, then either take in a list of your selections with you to the voting booth, or place them on your absentee ballot and mail it in. Please do not allow these selections to be only in your brain, take something in writing . That speeds up the voting process and insures that you will be happy with your selection. Of course, if you feel compelled to spread your decisions to friends or relatives, prior to the election, that is your choice.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Educated Citizenry: Will History repeat itself with the mid-term election?
Educated Citizenry: Will History repeat itself with the mid-term election?
See March 27,2009 Blog, Frame of Reference II
See March 27,2009 Blog, Frame of Reference II
Will History repeat itself with the mid-term election?
When George W. Bush was running for his second term, intelligent, voters could not conceive his re-election. But, he was re-elected to his second term as our President. Carol Simpson, a newscaster , found that people who voted for G.W.B. were not current with news, legislation, war-items, local news, they just voted, without doing their due diligence.
Will this next mid-term election coming up in November be a re-run? Current news, many pundits, think the Republicans will win as many as 47 house seats and regain control of the House of Representatives, and perhaps the Senate. Again, is history headed to repeat itself?
Evidence: The Democrats have been selling HOPE, in the form of passed legislation, say, the Health Care Reform, Financial reform, the Republicans have been selling the politics of "No" , as an example they stretched out the health care reform legislation so long, this Congress could not address Immigration, perhaps THE most important legislation that needs passage NOW. They have not been bi-partisan in just about everything except an occasional meeting. They have not been for the Greater Good. The Republicans have been selling "No", why would any person in his right mind vote for a group of people that is only looking for the return of GWB politics? Is the only reason Republicans are saying no really about politics or is it about the fact that a black man is President ?
Will this next mid-term election coming up in November be a re-run? Current news, many pundits, think the Republicans will win as many as 47 house seats and regain control of the House of Representatives, and perhaps the Senate. Again, is history headed to repeat itself?
Evidence: The Democrats have been selling HOPE, in the form of passed legislation, say, the Health Care Reform, Financial reform, the Republicans have been selling the politics of "No" , as an example they stretched out the health care reform legislation so long, this Congress could not address Immigration, perhaps THE most important legislation that needs passage NOW. They have not been bi-partisan in just about everything except an occasional meeting. They have not been for the Greater Good. The Republicans have been selling "No", why would any person in his right mind vote for a group of people that is only looking for the return of GWB politics? Is the only reason Republicans are saying no really about politics or is it about the fact that a black man is President ?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Why emphsize being a knowledgeable good citizen?
The evolution of citizenry has overcome many difficulties along the way. When the Founding Father's saw an opportunity to make a New World with a democratic basis, they jumped at the occasion.
When they formulated our country they did not desire a country where everyone was "equal" as we have it today. They felt the free enterprise system was essential to an economic success and those people who had the most to say about that were the landowners, retail and commercial businesses, men, landed gentry. People who had a stake in the country based on their investment in the country were the people given the vote. Renters, slaves, indebted servants, and women were not allowed to vote, they usually did not have an investment or stake in the country.
The "voters" usually had time and money to read and discuss the issues, favor one over the other and had time to vote. All others were working people and did not have the time or money to get involved.
Over the years, the Constitution has been added to and stretched via Supreme Court decisions to include "all citizens".
Until the past fifty or so years, voters have been involved because they had enough free time provided by good salaries and benefits to get involved in "politics" and make good decisions. Starting around 1973, when the Lobbyist really "got it", and started to lobby congressional members heavily, hire former congressmen because they can get on the floor of their former "body" and discuss lobby goals, our country has started to move from:
Upper-upper class usually inherited wealth and CEO's
Middle-upper class-- Higher management
Lower-upper class-- Lower management --some entrepenuers
Upper-middle-class Hands on upper management Over all
Middle-middle-class Hands on middle management-some independent contractors - successful entrepreneurs
Lower-middle-class supervisors over workers retail managers
Upper-lower class Upper workers responsible for finished work
Middle-lower-class Team leaders, retail workers, independent contractors
Lower-lower-class Hourly workers
Because corporations have been moving out of the nation, with our government's assistance, jobs have been erased, especially in the middle class. People who have many degrees and a little age to them have been let go in favor of younger more technologically sound employees, also, salaries have not increased for the past 15 or more years, yet inflation and the dollar slide has made what people actually receive much less than they have been accustomed to and had made plans upon. The real estate slide has really been a key as well as the financial world's greed towards lowering the class structure in America.
Our class structure looks more like this now:
Upper-upper class old money, Greedy CEO's, investors scaming
people--financial instutitions scaming people
1% of the people have approximately 92 % wealth
those upper class people being able to take
advantage of a taxation system built for them.
Upper lower-class Old middle class college graduates that still
have their jobs.
Middle lower-class All others looking for jobs that are non-
existent, because people still think there is a
chance at "The American Dream".
Under class People who have given up looking for jobs,
People who are homeless because they lost
job, home, car, everything and are subsisting on government entities, relatives, part-time jobs and charity .
Salaries are deceiving also. A $40,000 salary looks great on paper, however it has an approximate spending value of $10,000--The American Dream is vanishing.
Once the world community figured out how to compete with our juggernaut economy their lower labor costs beat our labor costs all to pieces. If you were a board of a company and were faced with an assembly line worker making (a hard fought for) $75 per hour in wages and $75 per hour in benefits and moving your corporation to a country where the labor costs were $5-10 per DAY and no benefits, and no regulatory commission telling you what you can and cannot do at the workplace, the decision is a very easy, yet harsh. We can no longer compete. America is in the painful process of lowering wages and no benefits for its workers. Even both parents working doesn't cover the expenses. We are not going to talk about the cost of higher education in this Blog, however, it is getting to look like a two "class" society. Those with education and those without.
There was a survey on TV the other day that says our children are not learning cursive writing. They are so into "texting" and writing(or plagarizing reports from the internet) that they see no need to "write" with a writing implement and paper--as in taking notes!!
This Blog has been longer than I intended. This is just the starting to explain, why you need to be a knowledgable citizen. As with money being taken away or stagnating, "rights" are also being taken away. Later.
When they formulated our country they did not desire a country where everyone was "equal" as we have it today. They felt the free enterprise system was essential to an economic success and those people who had the most to say about that were the landowners, retail and commercial businesses, men, landed gentry. People who had a stake in the country based on their investment in the country were the people given the vote. Renters, slaves, indebted servants, and women were not allowed to vote, they usually did not have an investment or stake in the country.
The "voters" usually had time and money to read and discuss the issues, favor one over the other and had time to vote. All others were working people and did not have the time or money to get involved.
Over the years, the Constitution has been added to and stretched via Supreme Court decisions to include "all citizens".
Until the past fifty or so years, voters have been involved because they had enough free time provided by good salaries and benefits to get involved in "politics" and make good decisions. Starting around 1973, when the Lobbyist really "got it", and started to lobby congressional members heavily, hire former congressmen because they can get on the floor of their former "body" and discuss lobby goals, our country has started to move from:
Upper-upper class usually inherited wealth and CEO's
Middle-upper class-- Higher management
Lower-upper class-- Lower management --some entrepenuers
Upper-middle-class Hands on upper management Over all
Middle-middle-class Hands on middle management-some independent contractors - successful entrepreneurs
Lower-middle-class supervisors over workers retail managers
Upper-lower class Upper workers responsible for finished work
Middle-lower-class Team leaders, retail workers, independent contractors
Lower-lower-class Hourly workers
Because corporations have been moving out of the nation, with our government's assistance, jobs have been erased, especially in the middle class. People who have many degrees and a little age to them have been let go in favor of younger more technologically sound employees, also, salaries have not increased for the past 15 or more years, yet inflation and the dollar slide has made what people actually receive much less than they have been accustomed to and had made plans upon. The real estate slide has really been a key as well as the financial world's greed towards lowering the class structure in America.
Our class structure looks more like this now:
Upper-upper class old money, Greedy CEO's, investors scaming
people--financial instutitions scaming people
1% of the people have approximately 92 % wealth
those upper class people being able to take
advantage of a taxation system built for them.
Upper lower-class Old middle class college graduates that still
have their jobs.
Middle lower-class All others looking for jobs that are non-
existent, because people still think there is a
chance at "The American Dream".
Under class People who have given up looking for jobs,
People who are homeless because they lost
job, home, car, everything and are subsisting on government entities, relatives, part-time jobs and charity .
Salaries are deceiving also. A $40,000 salary looks great on paper, however it has an approximate spending value of $10,000--The American Dream is vanishing.
Once the world community figured out how to compete with our juggernaut economy their lower labor costs beat our labor costs all to pieces. If you were a board of a company and were faced with an assembly line worker making (a hard fought for) $75 per hour in wages and $75 per hour in benefits and moving your corporation to a country where the labor costs were $5-10 per DAY and no benefits, and no regulatory commission telling you what you can and cannot do at the workplace, the decision is a very easy, yet harsh. We can no longer compete. America is in the painful process of lowering wages and no benefits for its workers. Even both parents working doesn't cover the expenses. We are not going to talk about the cost of higher education in this Blog, however, it is getting to look like a two "class" society. Those with education and those without.
There was a survey on TV the other day that says our children are not learning cursive writing. They are so into "texting" and writing(or plagarizing reports from the internet) that they see no need to "write" with a writing implement and paper--as in taking notes!!
This Blog has been longer than I intended. This is just the starting to explain, why you need to be a knowledgable citizen. As with money being taken away or stagnating, "rights" are also being taken away. Later.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Be a good citizen based on your frame of reference and knowledge of democracy
Be a good citizen. Of course, that means following the rules. Being a good example to everyone, be fair in evaluations of businesses and individuals, help your family and friends understand democratic processes, help get out the vote. If you do not fully understand a specific area, say, the electoral college, do research so you can explain it to others. With Goggle and others, you can type in a word and have a pretty good understanding of that word, almost instantly. That assumes you have picked up technological skill along the way to help yourself and others work with and within the democratic process. A democracy MUST have democratic principals deeply engrained within a person's frame of reference. Constant revision of those items and updating them makes you a more informed citizen.
Up to this point, this blog has been explaining what is needed within a citizen in a democracy to function and benefit the society.
In reality, all our lives are becoming full from sun-up to sun-down. Raising kids, getting ahead at work, keeping everyone happy, paying bills, makes it difficult to enrich our frame of reference in democratic activity.
Start your quest by considering what you think is reasonable for you. No, we can't be activitist full-time, just take a small chew of the problem. Choose an issue that interests you most, then start contributing what you can towards progress--contacts, money, time, skills, etc. No contribution is too small.
Try to keep yourself informed. Pick your media to coincide with your beliefs and it will give you insights on any given topic, allowing you to gain a "citizen's level" of expertise so you can talk with others about it.
Use the computer that you have available, in home, in library, use it.
Our democracy is a living breathing thing. It belongs to all its citizens. Join with others, everyone feels better when they're part of a group, a movement, a community (whether real or virtual).
Become the media, write a blog, a newsletter, internet radio broadcast, etc.
Start up a local neighborhood group that meets periodically and discusses the issues. Move the group around, not always at one house, have the group bring refreshments--many successes in politics have come from these type meetings.
Up to this point, this blog has been explaining what is needed within a citizen in a democracy to function and benefit the society.
In reality, all our lives are becoming full from sun-up to sun-down. Raising kids, getting ahead at work, keeping everyone happy, paying bills, makes it difficult to enrich our frame of reference in democratic activity.
Start your quest by considering what you think is reasonable for you. No, we can't be activitist full-time, just take a small chew of the problem. Choose an issue that interests you most, then start contributing what you can towards progress--contacts, money, time, skills, etc. No contribution is too small.
Try to keep yourself informed. Pick your media to coincide with your beliefs and it will give you insights on any given topic, allowing you to gain a "citizen's level" of expertise so you can talk with others about it.
Use the computer that you have available, in home, in library, use it.
Our democracy is a living breathing thing. It belongs to all its citizens. Join with others, everyone feels better when they're part of a group, a movement, a community (whether real or virtual).
Become the media, write a blog, a newsletter, internet radio broadcast, etc.
Start up a local neighborhood group that meets periodically and discusses the issues. Move the group around, not always at one house, have the group bring refreshments--many successes in politics have come from these type meetings.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Major areas of modern knowledge
An educated citizen needs to be able to apply concepts and foundations learned in one area to other areas as part of a lifelong learning process. The educated citizen needs to be able to live and work intelligently, responsibily and cooperatively in a multicultural society and to develop abilities to address complex issues and problems using disciplined analytical skills and creative techniques.
An educated citizen checks out the society and his role within, does he see how other citizens fit into that broad overview? Does he obtain knowledge of cultures and civilizations on an overall global understanding? The world is definately going global. What happens on the other side of the world effects our side of the world and what reprocussions does it have for us. Perhaps one of the largest problem confronting America and our population is the job situation. Americans have long been receiving large wages and benefits when you compare the remainder of the world. Now is the time when Americans are seeing their wages and benefits stagnating and declining. The "American Dream" is starting to disappear, the middle class is getting smaller, requirements for jobs are becoming steeper for less money. Expenses are skyrocketing due to world demand for the same supply that had been America's. China, and India have more and more people entering the "middle class" and demanding the same resources, thus prices are increasing. America is having to come to grips with vast changes that most do not comprehend.
An educated citizen needs to absorb all the information and translate that into decisions within. They need to be able to communicate their opinions to friends, neighbors, church groups, civic groups anyone that can help change for "The Greater Good".
An educated citizen checks out the society and his role within, does he see how other citizens fit into that broad overview? Does he obtain knowledge of cultures and civilizations on an overall global understanding? The world is definately going global. What happens on the other side of the world effects our side of the world and what reprocussions does it have for us. Perhaps one of the largest problem confronting America and our population is the job situation. Americans have long been receiving large wages and benefits when you compare the remainder of the world. Now is the time when Americans are seeing their wages and benefits stagnating and declining. The "American Dream" is starting to disappear, the middle class is getting smaller, requirements for jobs are becoming steeper for less money. Expenses are skyrocketing due to world demand for the same supply that had been America's. China, and India have more and more people entering the "middle class" and demanding the same resources, thus prices are increasing. America is having to come to grips with vast changes that most do not comprehend.
An educated citizen needs to absorb all the information and translate that into decisions within. They need to be able to communicate their opinions to friends, neighbors, church groups, civic groups anyone that can help change for "The Greater Good".
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Greater Good
The Greater Good is a term that is being used nationwide in the past few months. I have looked up the term and going to give you a breakdown of what it really means. The information comes from a great site: http://allforthegreatergood.com/
Basic definition: "All for the Greater Good is a philosophy that embraces the vast-untapped power of humanity to focus collectively on wisdom that improves our world's sustainable quality of life."
"Purpose: To improve our world
Vision: Influence our worldview with wisdom that improves sustainable quality of life.
Basis: Scientific Method
Emerging Ecological Worldview
Greater Good Theory, a.k.a., Greater Good Philosophy--asserting that civilizations whose leaders and people center their worldview around Greater Good values ultimately improve their sustainable prosperity.
Progressive Scientific knowledge and Classic wisdom.
Value-oriented--love, truth & happiness, liberty, social justice, and unconditional mutual respect, tolerance, empathy and patience, synergistic relationships and functional ego, anti-scarcasm, anti-avarice and non-aggression, humanitarianism and Meliorism, optimistic, proactive, and pragmatic attitude, tactiful cooperation and collaborative spirit.(Meliorism def. noun, the belief that society has an inate tendency toward improvement and that this tendency may be furthered through conscious human effort.--The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, third edition)
Key Method: Transform our educational philosophy to foster nurturing learning environments, which inspire love for life, knowledge, and creativity, while emulating our most noble ideals."
Results:
"Vast increase in Quality of life and sustainability for all.
Global security
Fulfilling & harmonious society
Improved educational system
Self correcting citzenship, through a collective purpose.
Broadmindedness & emotional intelligence
Less aggression and lower crime rate
Productivity
World Patriotism
Salvation for our civilization"
That gives you a better idea of what The Greater Good is about. Notice, it is about everyone, not some at the high end of the class structure. Several people send me emails saying that you can't attain wealth, if you have to share it with the entire population. What they don't say is; they only care about "their" bottom line, no one else. It is a very "I" centered situation. The Greater Good is not "I" centered, but doing what is right for the entire civilization.
We are now starting into that era. The Green Earth means we all have to work together to be able to sustain our existence. It also means the people looking only at the bottom line MUST stop looking at the bottom line only. They have to start putting anti-pollution devices on chimneys on factories, safety devices for employees, etc. They have to get their eyes off the bottom line and look at what is best for their employees and the entire population.
If you haven't been following the solar energy movement, it has been a very slow climb to even get recognition. Yes, the product has had to get better, but in reality, the real reason is solar energy doesn't bring in bottom line dollars. It is for the Greater Good, however, not for the financial giants.
The "Populist" party has been using this term for years. Populism is usually used in expressing thoughts from the people in a particular region, especially involving farmers, that protest against depressed economic conditions for example, the Populist Party from 1892-1908.
With the Republican and Democratic parties both falling on their faces with their constituencies voters are starting to look around for alternatives. More and more independents are registering to vote because existing Republican and Democratic voters can not "buy" what their parties are "selling". The Populist party is gaining in this area also. If you would like to see some of their views, check out Jim Hightower's site: Lowdown from our resources section on the first page.
This is getting pretty long, so I will cut it off for now, more later.
Basic definition: "All for the Greater Good is a philosophy that embraces the vast-untapped power of humanity to focus collectively on wisdom that improves our world's sustainable quality of life."
"Purpose: To improve our world
Vision: Influence our worldview with wisdom that improves sustainable quality of life.
Basis: Scientific Method
Emerging Ecological Worldview
Greater Good Theory, a.k.a., Greater Good Philosophy--asserting that civilizations whose leaders and people center their worldview around Greater Good values ultimately improve their sustainable prosperity.
Progressive Scientific knowledge and Classic wisdom.
Value-oriented--love, truth & happiness, liberty, social justice, and unconditional mutual respect, tolerance, empathy and patience, synergistic relationships and functional ego, anti-scarcasm, anti-avarice and non-aggression, humanitarianism and Meliorism, optimistic, proactive, and pragmatic attitude, tactiful cooperation and collaborative spirit.(Meliorism def. noun, the belief that society has an inate tendency toward improvement and that this tendency may be furthered through conscious human effort.--The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, third edition)
Key Method: Transform our educational philosophy to foster nurturing learning environments, which inspire love for life, knowledge, and creativity, while emulating our most noble ideals."
Results:
"Vast increase in Quality of life and sustainability for all.
Global security
Fulfilling & harmonious society
Improved educational system
Self correcting citzenship, through a collective purpose.
Broadmindedness & emotional intelligence
Less aggression and lower crime rate
Productivity
World Patriotism
Salvation for our civilization"
That gives you a better idea of what The Greater Good is about. Notice, it is about everyone, not some at the high end of the class structure. Several people send me emails saying that you can't attain wealth, if you have to share it with the entire population. What they don't say is; they only care about "their" bottom line, no one else. It is a very "I" centered situation. The Greater Good is not "I" centered, but doing what is right for the entire civilization.
We are now starting into that era. The Green Earth means we all have to work together to be able to sustain our existence. It also means the people looking only at the bottom line MUST stop looking at the bottom line only. They have to start putting anti-pollution devices on chimneys on factories, safety devices for employees, etc. They have to get their eyes off the bottom line and look at what is best for their employees and the entire population.
If you haven't been following the solar energy movement, it has been a very slow climb to even get recognition. Yes, the product has had to get better, but in reality, the real reason is solar energy doesn't bring in bottom line dollars. It is for the Greater Good, however, not for the financial giants.
The "Populist" party has been using this term for years. Populism is usually used in expressing thoughts from the people in a particular region, especially involving farmers, that protest against depressed economic conditions for example, the Populist Party from 1892-1908.
With the Republican and Democratic parties both falling on their faces with their constituencies voters are starting to look around for alternatives. More and more independents are registering to vote because existing Republican and Democratic voters can not "buy" what their parties are "selling". The Populist party is gaining in this area also. If you would like to see some of their views, check out Jim Hightower's site: Lowdown from our resources section on the first page.
This is getting pretty long, so I will cut it off for now, more later.
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